Unfortunately, The Big Roar can't sustain the love affair over 12 tracks. [May 2011, p.85]

With The Deep Field, Wasser proves herself a compelling songwriter in American music whose ambition never eclipses her striking talents. [May 2011, p.85]

Their forward (albeit delayed) momentum works on the first six tracks here. The individual elements pop and sparkle. Unfortunately, the post-punk attitude of the band's first two albums is quickly waylaid for nostalgic, sad sack lyricism, and Mercer's hang-ups about being old. [May 2011, p.84]

The erroneously titled debut, Different Gear, Still Speeding, plays much like a latter-day Oasis album. [May 2011, p.83]

Hugely enjoyable. [May 2011, p.79]

The '80s were a great decade. Holy Ghost! bring that back to us in our antithesis to the '80s' time. [May 2011, p.79]

When the same "music is the message" trick is attempted in the newer material, the law of diminishing returns quickly kicks into place. [May 2011, p.78]

In the end, the comfort if a Sondre Lerche album is what also makes it forgettable. [May 2011, p.79

While this particular brand of retro-ish pop is pleasing in small quantities, over the course of a whole album, things start to sound familiar. [May 2011, p.88]

Murphy's unfailing rich darkness pervades Ninth but this can start to drag at times. [May 2011, p.80]

Cults is a solid first album from a very interesting new voice in pop music. [May 2011, p.76]

Despite its problems, Gloss Drop is a mild accomplishment.

Argos' smarm-charm remains solid, and the band behind the man can still walk the walk. {May 2011, p. 76]

These four hanging out and jamming is to be celebrated, no question, but a slightly less ad-hoc endeavor might elicit more spins. [May 2011, p.75]

here, Sennett clings to the cutesy indie-pop formula of the early 2000s, like a security blanket, once again adopting the precious pupy0eyed affect he probably should have outgrown by now. [May 2011, p.77]

This is music that needs to be ruminated on during late nights. [May 2011, p.79]

While Alexander, is not exactly the most varied albums, it is pleasantly--and impressively--cohesive, balancing just the right amount of sun-drenched melodies and unhinged heartache. [May 2011, p.83]

Callahan eschews the gorgeous rococo arrangements that guided Eagle in favor of bare-bones guitar, muted fiddle surges, and a generally more restrained approach on Apocalypse, with ample space left for an emphasis on his rich baritone and trenchant lyrics. [may 2011, p.83]

GB City is a heaping helping of frazzled guitar caterwaul, bashed drums, and teenage delinquent lyrics about "talking to Elvis in my sleep" where Elvis responds, "I'm cracked out." [May 2011, p.83]

They have overshot the mark, however, as the overshadowing of the product by the ambition clearly indicates. [May 20111, p.84]

Several tracks fade in a different instrumental passage at the close,m including some containing ideas that are incongruous with the preceding music. [May 2011, p.94]

Like the much-maligned puppy, Forever Today is as cute as can be--but alas, hardly the pick of the indie pop litter. [May 2011, p.85]

It's certainly an ambitious album, and a sonically satisfying one, but it lacks memorable hooks and melodies. [May 2011, p.86]

Hit After Hit still features lots of reverb and wry, repetitive lyrics, but the production is more sophisticated and subtle. [May 2011, p.86]

Tuneful, but as the opening tracks promised, intensely moody and far darker this time around. [May 2011, p.87]

Simple, meditative stuff that's probably quite personal. [May 2011, p.87]

For Sloan, it amounts to another fine effort. [May 2011, p.88]

The group can't sustain their earlier EP's magic over the course of a full LP. [May 2011, p.88]

The album's bare bones setup fails to surpass other (better) examples of fizzy indie-pop. [May 2011, p.88]

It is admirable to maintain the same bright-eyed outlook and sound as you did in college. That's what Maritime's Human Hearts imparts. [May 2011, p.88]

The Manchester, England band Mazes prefers to record live and quickly, and their hit-it-and-quit ethos serves them well on this debut LP. [May 2011, p.88]

It's charming in small doses, but the album often comes off sounding something like a high school equivalent of They Might Be Giants. [May 2011, p.88]

Lesser Known sounds, not nostalgic, or even cleverly kitschy, but utterly predictable--emphasizing influences over innovation. [May 2011, p.89]

The album ably disguises and incorporates non-dubstep genres into an unsparing, engaging, and appealing electronic work. [May 2011, p.89]

Though the work on L'Intrus is rather lean, overall the set showcases how these soundtracks find the group in their element. [May 2011, p.90]

Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner can pull off this kind of mopey swagger while still tapping toes, but for all of their infectious dance-floor grooves, The Wombats could stand to lighten up a bit.

In Blank would make a good background album for a hazy summer, but in terms of musicality, it comes out as too much of a cipher.

The sluggish vibe on The Fall was obviously part of Albarn's intention in creating a meandering sonic travelogue, but you end up wishing he'd pressed the gas pedal a little harder.

As Wild Beasts records tend to go, Smother is par for the course in terms of its opulent eccentricities and its magnificently polished arrangements. This time around, though, the Beasts have been tamed. Frankly, that's a disappointment.

Williams and White seem born to sing together. Their natural vocal chemistry makes Barton Hollow a satisfying listen straight through. That said, the album is heavy on made-for-TV dramatic balladry, the sort of thing that features so well on Grey's Anatomy.

Never afraid to cop a new style or try something that might not work, Architecture in Helsinki has thrown listeners for a loop yet again.

Unafraid of bursting your bubble, Wit's End crawls and slithers slowly, touching upon the darkest of themes.

Ultimately, the seasick anthem "Try Harder" could work as the manifesto for Dancer Equired, its title both recognizing the new (relative) sheen and extending a middle finger to those who require it.

Share the Joy is an obvious reaction to the once-underground movement that is now bloated with wannabe's and imposers.

The songs are thoughtful without thinking too much of themselves. [Feb 2011, p.64]

They're maturing gracelessly, still in love with the fool's gold myth of rock and roll, which is precisely why Angles succeeds as a record.

On its own, Tomboy isn't moving forward but it isn't treading water, either. Lennox performs a tricky balancing act in that sense.

This lovingly constructed, dead-on parody is like a time capsule that contains only an early '80s vinyl bargain bin. [Feb 2011, p.64]

Pearson's crafted an auspicious opening scene to what will be a long and brilliant second act. [Feb 2011, p.67]

Little is the same for Eland on this fine LP, the one that finds them transcending their wieldy influences, leaving us with a singular, terrific band. [Feb 2011, p.64]

While admirably demonstrating that they're no one trick pony, the album is plagued with moments so awkward it makes most first dates seem preferable-promises of pop pleasure be damned.

Excerpts from British philosopher Alan Watts punctuate the album, his dry declarations bringing the mood down at intervals. Still, if you want a positive outlook on death, the overall liveliness of Reptilians should help.

He effortlessly slots into the indie imprint's avant-garde discography. [Feb. 2011, p. 74]

Seefeel are definitely onto something new here, and it's worthy of the brand. [Feb. 2011, p. 73]

Bumped up to the majors for Tell Me, like its predecessor produced by Auerbach, Mayfield evinces maturity in both her sonic approach and her writing. [Feb. 2011, p. 72]

As an album, there's little holding Smart Flesh together. [Feb. 2011, p. 72]

Any self-respecting DBT fan will enjoy this bluesy, grim and determined changeup. [Feb. 2011, p. 72]

Though it's a bit longwinded, activism and dance music collide on Talk About Body, which is a fiery and totally irresistible combination. [Feb. 2011, p. 71]

Try as they might the songs just aren't there. [Feb. 2011, p. 71]

Violet Cries is an intriguing collection from a young band that already seems poised to build away from its influences. [Feb. 2011, p. 71]

Style-wise, Shapes isn't marking a great departure from Gomez's jams. Rather, it highlights certain aspects the group includes in their music. Plus, the album allows Ottewell space to breathe. And he has never had as much oxygen as he does on Shapes.

The sorrow-filled lyrics are balanced by jubilant choruses, which are playful and heart-wrenching at once, with the overall tone being one of acceptance. [Feb 2011, p.73]

All You Need Is now represents a step in the right direction, and you can sense the band getting back into shape. [Feb 2011, p.70]

It's the act's best and nost fully realized LP to date. [Feb 2011, p.66]

To wit, Last Night is tailor made to be a guilty pleasure album. And, in this case, that is not a bad thing. [Feb 2011, p.66]

It is a decent debut, with a lot of room for growth. [Feb 2011, p.66]

"Cold Canada" is inscrutable, as much of this fine record is, but give it time and the tunes will ingratiate themselves into your psyche. [Feb 2011, p.65]

Fluorescence boasts some highly refined and not-so-mellow results. [Feb 2011, p.62]

Alternative rock from the '90s might be much maligned in the current indie-centric music world, but to paraphrase Jon Stewart as he once introduced the band on his '90s talk show: I like good music and this is good music.

One can always count on [Walter Schreifels] for ample moments of songwriting gold and guitar rapture. [Feb. 2011, p. 67]

The problem comes when Lykke Li steps out of her range musically. [Feb. 2011, p. 65]

The tunes are imminently enjoyable and the interplay among the DuPrees' voices is always thrilling. [Feb. 2011, p. 64]

Though the closing bass and drum solos aren't essential listening, this slate of recordings provides a welcome addition to the slight catalog of a band that deserves to have been name-dropped by punk historians for years. [Feb 2011, p.74]

One of Cornog's greatest strengths is what makes Rooms affecting. While his lyrics can be pretty straightforward, the songs are arranged for maximum effect. [Feb 2011, p.64]

he overall result is in line with Studio's work or that of some of their Swedish contemporaries. [Feb 2011, p.69]

It's relentlessly cloying pop music, and it would benefit immensely if the act would take a step outside their comfort zone into more nefarious territory. [Feb 2011, p.72]

There are some cacthy hooks buried deep in the goop. [Feb 2011, p.72]

The meat-and-potatoes musical approach keeps the path clear for the word to have the primary focus, meaning that you probably won't be humming much of The Gathering in the shower. [Feb 2011, p.73]

Chain & the Gang sounds something like a slightly saner Captain Beefheart, a less arty Bongwater, or a whiter James Brown. [Feb 201, p.73]

The Norwegian band I Was A King wreaks gleeful pop havoc on their third album. [Feb 2011, p.73]

These rather minimal tracks tempt because of Ices' fervor for ritualistic body percussion and headphone-ready mixing. [Feb 2011, p.73]

The urbane vibe exuded during their stellar live shows is stunning. Unfortunately they don't completely lasso that divine alchemy here. [Feb 2011, p.73]

Spotty and shambolic, but brimming with moments of serious brilliance--this is the Sic Alps way. [Feb 2011, p.73]

Sweden's The Skull Defekts create a glorious sonic racket on their fine second LP. At times, listening to the record is akin to having serious dental work done without anesthesia. [Feb 2011, p.73]

The field recording-esque approach adds a layer of intimacy to these nine threadbare folk duets. [Feb 2011, p.73]

Overall, The Palace Guards is a laid-back and hazy, Americana-esque album that benefits from subtle instrumental flourishes of harmonica, violin, organ, and what sounds like the occasional horn, while putting at the fore the lyrical wit and wry storytelling that has become Lowery's trademark.

High and Inside is a fun album filled with good melodies and fine playing. But if such names as Bobby Ojeda, Ryne Duren, John McNamara, Mark Fidrych, and Tony Conigliaro don't mean anything to you, the album might have limited appeal.

In contrast to the garage rock of Vivian Girls and the melodic haze of All Saints Day, La Sera brings Goodman's sense of melody and song to the fore in 12 tracks that often hark back to the days of '60s girl groups and Brill Building song craft.

The highs are notable. The problem is, Blake has put himself in a tight box, and when he strays out of it the material wavers [...]

Akron/Family remain squarely on the frontline in the battle against bad vibes, and their Shinju TNT is a stylistic trainwreck of the most giddy and heartwarming order. Stay cosmic, fellas.

There are surely treasures to be found in The King of Limbs, as the listens pile up, so does the expectation for a short Jonny Greenwood ascending guitar phrase or a rapid click of the cymbals by Selway.

Their understated guitar-and keys-driven songs invite discovery and reveal intricacies upon each listen.

One has to applaud The Go! Team for their restless energy and dogged determination to stick to a previously tried and true formula, but Rolling Blackouts proves that louder and faster in no way equals hip.

The musicianship is outstanding, as one would expect, and Mike Mogis' production is, as usual, flawless, but the songs and direction simply aren't there.

Live on Ten Legs is a nice summary collection from one of the best performers around.

While it's fun to hear some new (old) material from Ryan Adams and his fantastic band, The Cardinals, it's pretty easy to see why this stuff wasn't released and while the jury is still out on whether or not retirement was a good idea for Adams, III/IV does indicate that it was time for an extended vacation.

The Black Sabbath worship continues from the trio of Israelis while singer Ami Shalev hams it up on the microphone. [Year End 2010, p.75]

There's a doomed pall hanging over much of Teenage and Torture. [Year End 2010, p.75]