Like 1999's The West, The Civil War negotiates a fragile entente between Americana and electronica, but does so on a bigger, constantly astonishing scale. [Oct 2003, p.122]

This is the pop album of 2003 which everyone else will have to beat. [Jul 2003, p.124]

This year's 'Stankonia.' [Sep 2001, p.96] [Review of UK version]

Dear Heather is Cohen's highest tide yet, his most exquisite marriage of song and poetry and ambiguous grace. [Nov 2004, p.114]

It's hard to believe there will be a better record than Last Exit released this year. [Jul 2004, p.102]

It's the freshest, most exciting and far-reaching left-field album in years. [Jun 2003, p.102]

A Ghost Is Born feels like a band learning to be spontaneous and unencumbered, and coming up with their most engaging album yet. [Album of the Month, Jul 2004, p.94]

Laced with enough blue-eyed longing to make the most diehard Gram Parsons fan weep with wonder and the sort of verbal acuity that would give even Dylanologists pause for thought, Elephant is where the tabloid phenomenon of summer 2001 prove they are no flash in the pan by making a truly phenomenal record. [May 2003, p.94]

[A] breathtaking, virtually flawless album. [Sep 2002, p.104]

So wild and stripped-down it makes The White Stripes sound like Yes. [Jan 2004, p.102]

Doves have delivered, with honesty and affection. All other guitar bands this year will seem like a scratchy sideshow. [Jun 2002, p.110]

You won't hear a more humane, moving or mysterious record all year. [Album of the Month, Oct 2003, p.110]

In ditching the band ethic, they've tapped into the finest folk gothic traditions of death, suffering, misery and hardship and fashioned a paradoxically uplifting, transformative record of extraordinary power. [Album of the Month, Jul 2003, p.110]

Another mature masterpiece from America's finest. [Album Of The Month, March 2002, p.94]

It's a record of passion and richness, with a hoard of memorable songs, that demands to be treated the equal of its inspirations. [Sep 2003, p.102]

All that is good in hip hop is here. [Jul 2003, p.111]

In just over 35 minutes, the Bonnie Prince's mastery of form, blend of gentle awe and trembling sweetness are distilled to their essence. [Album of the Month, Feb 2003, p.74]

The whole thing tingles: you're in the presence of diamond-hard greatness. [Nov 2004, p.110]

Under the direst circumstances, he has painted his masterpiece. [Album of the Month, Sep 2003, p.96]

It's the most extraordinary smorgasbord of styles, moods, modes, a far more daring, jolting record than 2001's Essence. [Album of the Month, May 2003, p.88]

Arguably, not since early Costello has a British solo artist combined such bare-arsed soulfulness with such corrosively perceptive humour. Quite something. [Album of the Month, Nov 2002, p.112]

The Fine Art of Self Destruction is one of those amazing records that appear seemingly out of nowhere... that within a couple of plays sound already like something you've been listening to for years. [Album of the Month, Dec 2002, p.128]

Whereas the fucked-up, punk attitude [Ryan] Adams feigned on Rock'n'Roll was based on little more than pique, The Heat is all genuine passion, brimming with energy, anger and great tunes sandwiched between the dense guitars. [Jul 2004, p.114]

A brave and beautiful album of humanity, hurt and hope from the songwriter best qualified to speak to and for his country.... A towering achievement. [Album of the Month, Sep 2002, p.102]

Fever To Tell is, quite simply, magnificent.... This is as revitalising a debut as could be hoped for. [May 2003, p.92]

Almost every tune sounds like a hit. [Dec 2001, p.108]

May well come to be regarded as the best British rock album since OK Computer. [Sep 2002, p.118]

By far the strongest collection of songs the band have ever assembled. [Nov 2003, p.114]