The result is exhausting, an album of songs that all want to be showstoppers. [Dec 2011, p.86]

The dream-logic mixing is a strength, where folk songs from Adele Diane and Songs Of Green Pheasant tumble to the forefront, but most tracks are limp, effete and boring. [Mar 2015, p.84]

Here Lies Love could do with a lot less reportage and a great deal more drama, melody and wit. If anything, with morem not less, artistsic licence. [Mar 2010, p.99]

Deeply average. [Apr 2004, p.91]

Their one great idea grows tiresome over an album's length. [Oct 2010, p.88]

While something could have been made of the contrast between Francis's keening howl and Paley's guttural slur, proceedings are let down by the songs. [Oct 2011, p.95]

Producer Jari Haapalainen successfully blends it all together, but Karolina Komstedt's vacant vocals remian glacially unmoved. [Jul 2010, p.104]

Too one-speed to attain the subtlety of Zep, too constipated to really funk out. [Oct 2006, p.99]

An utterly gloomungous affair with barely a crack of light piercing the lowering clouds of misery. [Jan 2004, p.116]

The thing with the L-event EP is that across four tracks, there isn't the room afforded on their best LPs for something resembling accessibility. [Nov-Dec 2013, p.100]

Maybe it's not Albini's fault that El Rey lacks the melodic thrust of earlier projects, but this is wiry, unappealing fare. [July 2008, p.114]

It's unlikely comfort is their aim, but that's the effect oif this over-familiar blend of woozy disaffection and slow-burning sensuality. [Apr 2010, p.83]

Not quite criminal, but close. [Jul 2012, p.84]

Unfortunately, every note is so restrained as to verge on the apologetic, resulting in songs capable of being forgotten even while they're playing. [Oct 2009, p.101]

Seems an innocuous exercise in regurgitation rather than innovation. [Dec 2002, p.131]

Their third album sees them toughening up some, with much of their whimsical dreaminess tramped underfoot in their seeming desire to become a more conventional, NME-friendly, rock band. [Feb 2006, p.81]

They rather more resemble the wilfully over-wrought pastiches of Flight Of The Conchords, but without the jokes. [Sep 2009, p.82]

The sing-along antics of the home crowd can be a little irritating. [Aug 2002, p.107]

A lush but unthrilling album. [Nov 2003, p.122]

Much of it seems to bluster without delivering. [Aug 2005, p.87]

The quartet are once again playing it safe with their crowd-pleasing formula of surging riffs, queasily memorable choruses and lyrics which, like Mystic Meg horoscopes burn with portent while saying nothing. [Dec 2011, p.96]

The vast majority of it still sounds like what it was: cerebral, bloodless 'dance' music for junkies, the kind of posturing Gotham tripe we used to describe as "atonal" and "angular." [Aug 2003, p.120]

The guitars still kick, but charm is thin on the ground. [Jul 2005, p.89]

Largely, this one is a case of nice threads, shame about the songs. [Apr 2007, p.115]

Things go downhill as petty vindictiveness and insignificant beefs become the preferred themes. [Jan 2006, p.114]

it's full of lovely moments, but it nees more edge to keep you from snoozing. [Apr 2008, p.91]

The music is classifed as country, but it's really clinical pop, enlivened by Swift's confessional lyrics. [Apr 2009, p.101]

The tunes can be slight, and sometimes their spirit of appropriation leaves them rather red-handed. [Apr 2011, p.91]