It's not a bad album, it's actually pretty good. Just not their best.

Ultimately, listening to Goblin feels a lot like reading a creative writing assignment by the kid in the army boots and trench coat who sits in the corner. There are moments of clarity that show a unique talent, if only he weren't trying quite so hard to be unique.

9th Wonder and Buckshot have delivered a plate of comfort food that fans will enjoy, if not necessarily savor.

Stereotype succeeds in melding styles seamlessly, and delivering enough synergy to help each one of the acts involved broaden its audience.

It's a solid DOOM album to add to the catalog of previous releases.

It's a testament to Ghostface's MC bonafides and sheer force of personality that, while easily his weakest solo outing, Apollo Kids is far from a bad album. It just doesn't quite feel like a Ghostface Killah album.

The Man with the Iron Fists soundtrack is certainly an adequate companion piece to the film, and will likely earn a spot in the collection of most Wu diehards. Still, it feels like a missed opportunity for a grand musical statement to further bolster the Wu-Tang legacy as it makes its transition to the silver screen.

It's an indulgent side project and the monotony of the production is enough that the 'McKayla is Not Impressed' face may be unavoidable.

A band exploring a new sound is great, but that's what demos and the studio are for. Some of what The Strokes seem to be aiming for with Angles unfortunately isn't realized.

Something Big, does not have many musical surprises and may not bring aboard any new Mary Mary fans, but it will most definitely bring listening pleasure to the faithful Mary Mary fans.

It is readily apparent on Love Me Back that Ms. Sullivan is making a huge push at greater mainstream success.

Camp is powered by the same blend of quirk, wit and vulnerability that drives Glover's comedic endeavors.

Random Axe don't break the mold on this album, but they are sure to make stalwart fans of each individual rapper happy with a release that's thematically consistent if not repetitive and evocative of the three's surefire chemistry.

The album is certainly worth a spin for any music enthusiast who wants to further expand their already-eclectic listening tastes.

The album certainly works as ambient background noise, but it completely falls apart under close scrutiny.

Overall this will be a very divisive record for people: fans of non-traditional hip hop and abstract lyricism will love this record, fans of more mainstream sounding hip hop who enjoy flow and deliveries will probably not enjoy it as much.

Unlike the legends of BK past, London doesn't riff on drugs and housing projects, which in and of itself earns him a fair shot. He may be redefining what it means to be a rapper in the 21st century, but it wouldn't hurt if he practiced more rules of the game before changing it.

In music, the best artists bare their souls and shed light into unknown realities. With Cudi, however, the wounds might still be too deep, since he bemoans his way through the impressive soundtrack and lacks the essence needed to make this project resonate.Life has its ups and downs, but there's no need to implode.

The band is tight, the tunes are fine, and Ebo himself is on good form. But in general it simply lacks the power of his earlier material.

Here the stylistic plurality advances beyond likable ADHD-antics to the point where it no longer leaves the listening value unscathed.

Love & Danger fits the mold per Keith's willingness to unleash a tweaked stream-of-consciousness upon his listeners, but his flow isn't nearly as succinct as on records past.

As an album, there is nothing Aaron Neville is offering in these remakes that would make anyone want to listen to his versions instead of the originals. Therefore the album falls flat, and comes across as a well executed, but arbitrary project, from a legend.

While Nothing isn't N*E*R*D*'s strongest effort, it does offer an interesting take on pop music.

This album doesn't suck... it's just boring.