A curio, for sure, but worth saddling up for. [Dec 2018, p.114]

A record that twists in thrilling shapes but rarely gets tangled. [Dec 2018, p.111]

If a tad skronky in parts and slight at 28 minutes, the deep grooves of IC-01 pull you in. [Dec 2018, p.114]

The propulsive Fast Forward proves there's still a shard of emo in their hearts, but mostly this feels like a bold reboot. [Dec 2018, p.114]

Krell's exploration into inner space working best when opening the door wide enough to let a little light in. [Dec 2018, p.108]

There is a danger it might all drift away in a haze of gossamer-light stylishness if it weren't for the interesting places they nudge these gentle songs. [Nov 2018, p.112]

Left to her own devices, she radically strips back her earlier material and it works. [Nov 2018, p.111]

The definition of a mixed bag. [Nov 2018, p.109]

There are moments of brilliance--the title track features a stunning guitar section, while Every Little Thing is a powerful reminder of the importance of self-forgiveness--yet First Flower occasionally fails to live up to its predecessor. [Nov 2018, p.102]

Sadly though, the pairing of this reflective Rod with 2018's ultra-slick production and some route-one songs often disappoints. [Nov 2018, p.112]

Pleasing, interesting, but not especially gripping. [Nov 2018, p.102]

Often the beats are so clumpy that the vocals are left trying to drag things forward. [Nov 2018, p.109]

The resulting combination, of despondency and dull melodies, makes for an uninspiring take on dance music past. [Nov 2018, p.111]

A66 is made thrilling by the gear change midway through, ditching its Sabbath crawl for a brutal climax. Nothing else quite succeeds in cutting through the downtuned murk, although riffs are uniformly monolithic and frontman Matt Baty's throaty bark is never less than entertaining. [Nov 2018, p.112]

It's as unsanitised as ever, then, and , as such, makes Mudhoney's continued existence a cause for celebration. [Nov 2018, p.111]

Snow Bound continues to showcase a jangled set of nerves and guitars. [Nov 2018, p.105]

Songs like Harvester cut through the austerity with undercover earworms, providing a melodic relief you'll long for when the anti-pop sensibility finds its logical conclusion in dreary jams. [Oct 2018, p.108]

The album's title is a nod to America's addiction to prescription drugs, while the 21st-century pop production gloss of Actual Pain, for example, hides an inner turmoil. [Oct 2018, p.111]

A promising start, but there's room for improvement. [Oct 2018, p.108]

Somewhat muted follow-up. [Oct 2018, p.111]

A tasteful and delicate record--but one that not quite as much fun as it first seems. [Aug 2018, p.116]

It's heroically earnest and not a little preposterous, but the singer's charisma carries it over the line. [Oct 2018, p.112]

Warped and touching, this is an LP for both higher and lower selves. [Oct 2018, p.119]

For all of its typical craftsmanship you can't help but wish it had more moments like the stark despair of My Rock, My Rope. [Oct 2018, p.119]

A return to form have they made. [Oct 2018, p.115]

Overall, there are more steps sideways than great leaps forward. [Oct 2018, p.112]

The first 40 seconds of Spring King's second album are without doubt its most diverting. ... The rest of A Better Life is a uniformly bog-standard collection of Kasabian-like indie rock. [Sep 2018, p.118]

Intriguingly between success and failure, as if occupying a musical hinterland of its own. [Oct 2018, p.118]