The dual-drumkit, tribal incantations and ominous drones have a pleasing menace but when you factor in the "concept"... patience starts to wane. [Mar 2006, p.111]

Lekman is an intriguing bedsit poet whose whispered ramblings can sometimes melt the heart. [Mar 2006, p.108]

If the songs themselves sometimes seem to float by without fully grabbing the attention, when the melodies rise above the textures, as in The Blue Nile-style ache of Send Me Home, Lanterns On The Lake give us a glimpse of what might make them truly special. [Dec 2015, p.109]

Recorded in 11 days in Nashville and LA, National Ransom sees Costello continuing his obsession with bluegrass and Americana, under the watchful eye of producer T-Bone Burnett. [Dec. 2010, p. 104]

It's an impressive art-rock construction, just not one that easily fits into every space. [Mar 2019, p.118]

There may be tears if he later goes elctric, but for now this falls just the right side of pastiche. [May 2010, p.127]

There are moments... as good and chart-friendly as anything by Royksopp or Mylo.... But most of the time they prefer to trade in dreary whimsy. [Jun 2006, p.116]

It's a bedroom album, albeit an intelligent, challenging one. [Jan 2008, p.110]

Alkaline Trio subvert their perky, zinging three chord mall-punk with misanthropy, melancholy and alcohol-sodden, world-weary wisdom. [Jun 2003, p.92]

Surprisingly conventional. [May 2007, p.124]

Smooth and intermittently sublime it may be, but their previous weirdness is much missed. [Jun 2006, p.117]

Like Talib Kweli... she mixes precise diction with writing that's high on observation and metaphysical promise. [Dec 2004, p.137]

Inevitably, though, there's an unevenness to the improvised soundscaping. [Mar 2005, p.101]

The Stand-In succeeds in sounding expansive without losing any of its intimacy. [Apr 2013, p.109]

Hedley makes no apology for his love of country's golden age, ad where naysayers might cry "pastiche," plenty more will be happy kicking up their heels on the hayride. [May 2018, p.91]

Enigmatic dubstep maestro's spooky follow-up. [Aug. 2011, p. 127]

The performances reflect his wind-down way. [Apr 2014, p.96]

The album's first half is anchored by the hypnotic undertow of Pulls, but the mood intensifies later with RGB's distortion beats and Bird Milk's cocky electro-strut proving Gallear's at his best when sparring against more robust rhythms. [Dec 2014, p.109]

Ultimately, though, White Lies are running to stand still. [Mar 2019, p.120]

A vigorous, if patchy comeback. [Jan 2020, p.114]

Orc is an incredibly full-on record. [Oct 2017, p.107]

The songs aren't quite up to the mark. You can't fault the performances though. [Dec 2007, p.121]

Midway through, however, Karl Hyde stretches himself too far with the minimal This Mortal Coil-styled ballad SKYM, exposing the weaknesses in his singing voice.

Sonically, his second solo effort is dry and unimaginative. [Feb 2003, p.97]

Confusion's left in its wake, of course, but such is the price of the peaks. [Oct 2017, p.100]

Confident Music for Confident People largely succeeds in maintaining the hi-NRG entertainment. ... It comes unstuck, though, when the sugary fun becomes simply irritating, as on the bratty C.O.O.L Party. [Jun 2018, p.109]

The subtle rhythms of Nigerian percussionist Lekan Babalola giving something new to Wilson's versions of great old songs. [Aug 2008, p.145]

One very minimal idea being stretched over 11 songs to the point that it starts to look very washed-out indeed.