While it delivers the triumphant rock 'n' roll thrills and oddball incantations promised by the GBV "brand", the most surprising thing about Earthquake Glue is that, at a point in his career when his inventiveness really should be waning (along with his libido and his prostate), Robert Pollard's creative spark seems brighter than ever.

Everyone Deserves Music excels beyond simple good intentions because Franti and Spearhead are also at peace with their musical influences.

Shine A Light is metallic, screamo-ing, ear-bursting, confused and chopping. And man, it's great.

A safe, if frayed, rock album that bristles and pops with flashes of brilliance, yet never ignites into the full-blown firestorm they're quite obviously capable of creating.

HaHa Sound is a good example what a talented band can do in an era of infinite possibilities.

Most of the excesses inherent to the subject matter and songwriting style are cumulative; if you take A Mark track by track, it's quite an accomplished set of (admittedly similar) songs.

Killing Joke feels as fresh and exciting as 1981's album of the same name.

It's Golightly's most genuine, dark-struttin' My Generation-type record to date.

Lovers' vast scope quickly becomes a daunting proposition for its listener.

As mindlessly captivating an album as you're likely to hear all year.

Pole is the sound of a restless musical talent and intellect seeking out like-minded collaborators, expanding their horizons, and producing an otherwise impossible synthesis.

If you're fifteen years old, female, and want to rebel, So Stylistic probably makes a lot more sense than a Bright Eyes record. If you're any older, it'll probably just make you feel dirty.

It's rare that a band can recreate such a broad measure of emotions with such a soft palette.

The Mars Volta have not only revived prog-rock as a viable commodity; they've injected it with an electric vigor that the lumbering dinosaur hasn't witnessed in ages.

Terroir Blues is an excellent album released by a man who knows he's at the height of his powers, whether anyone else knows it or not.

Harmless and happy, with an underbelly of serious sadness, Keep it Together dares to be average, and comes out sounding and feeling pretty decent.

Menomena is a wickedly creative band.

AmAnSet gives us dance music that's perfect to sit down and listen to, opening an imaginary club in our heads.

It's the stuff that a thousand indie rock records are made of, basted, breaded and cooked to perfection.

Though the group largely downplays their skull-splitting excesses, their songs resonate with a fury that a lifetime worth of broken power-chords couldn't match.

England's Saloon combine the post punk rhythms of Stereolab with the poppiness of The Sundays, creating a melodically soothing murmur that, while derivative, is very enticing.

Waiting For The Moon is a welcome and singularly strong addition to one of the most impressive catalogues in modern music.

It's nowhere near as interesting as Ghost of Fashion or Your Favorite Music, but it has its own tranquil, slow-burning charm.

Welcome Interstate Managers is a watershed accomplishment, surpassing the band's debut in terms of whimsical pop songcraft, lyrical astuteness and blind melodic ambition.

These minimalist songs are surprisingly and undeniably funky.

One of the major differences between this and other Grandaddy releases is that Lytle finally seems comfortable in his role as production auteur.

Despite some great moments... L'Avventura never quite comes into its own -- there just aren't enough perfect Phillips/Wareham moments here to cash in on Romantica's promise.

Does little to sully their reputation as one of the "great white hopes" of the indie dance nation.