Whilst tracks like "Butterflies" and "High Horse" offer the best of what Musgraves can do in terms of balancing her obvious charm against a certain steely underbelly that has served her so well so far in her career, all too often, Golden Hour delivers a lackluster vibe and a feeling that Musgraves has become too infatuated with the pop side of her artistry and is beginning to forget about the things that made her so interesting and worth investing in in the first place.

Dear Science, spends its 50 minutes in flux between several worlds, none of them particularly memorable. [Fall 2008, p.78]

For big Prince fans, Originals will be an essential peek into his methods as a musical mentor. For anyone else, it's a curiosity worth checking out but certainly not recommending over any of the dozen-plus better records he released during his lifetime.

The Woods feels almost nostalgic, exalting the era when noisemakers Nirvana, Sonic Youth, NIN, Fugazi and PJ Harvey were the touchstones of artistic merit. [#9]

Unfortunately, the all-star collaborators mire Wilson’s primary-colored tunes in pointless excess and self-indulgence. Point being, some albums are lost for a reason and Pacific Ocean Blue is overwrought yacht rock schlock. [Summer 2008]

While it shows flashes of brilliance it also exposes Toledo's early shortcomings as a songwriter. Filled with angst and the genuine spunk of Toledo's frantic guitars, Twin Fantasy is also erratic and inconsistent.

For all its foreboding themes, Dig, Lazarus Dig!!! is melodically accessible and a very neutrally pop album. [Spriung 2008, p.74]

Their quest for a catchy chorus is often derailed by a love of hazy atmospherics, creating a soundtrack suited for little more than late-night navelgazing. [Fall 2009, p.72]

While many moments on the new LP are arguably musically as good as much of his back catalogue, it no longer has the same visceral, evolutionary energy of something truly new. [Dec 2014, p.88]

The beat structures on the likes of "Reverse Faults." "Under," and "Incomplete Kisses" fail to match their vocal counterpart in aesthetic or sentiment. [Jan - Mar 2017, p.67]

They're like a five-member Polyphonic Spree wearing Urban Outfitters, jacked up on Jolt cola, and rocking out in their garage with a bunch of instruments bought from a pawn shop. [#7]

As a piece of history, What Does It Mean is unbelievable, but as an album, the familiarity and datedness makes it a dull listening. [Summer 2008]

Purple is an enjoyable ride that's unlikely to disappoint avowed fans of the band. But playing it safe and not advancing their thesis substantially invites comparisons to earlier artifacts of their sonic template, artifacts that shine brighter than the present one.

Overall, your enjoyment of this album will depend on your patience and appreciation for Kozelek's idiosyncrasies. Sometimes he pulls it off wonderfully, and other times listeners might wish he'd left a little more to the imagination.

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]

Furman's outright ramshackle approach has lost its charm as his songs have become messy and overbearing. These songs are fun but confusing. They lack the allure of the straight-talking, catchy riffs which made his name.

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.

With Welch's most forgettable set of melodies and tasteful but well-trod arrangements adding up to a generally disappointing return. [Jul 2011, p.92]

There is plenty of good poetry waiting below the poverty line; R.A.P. Music ain't it. [Jun 2012, p.161]

Mental Illness remains more of the same, never quite hitting any peaks, and never missing a step either.

To hear this album is to feel like things are falling down on you, and although that can be wearing after a while, there's not much to complain about. [#7]

Burma seems to be playing catch-up after all this time away. [#7]

Tarot Sport is an act of patience that pays back the time you actively spend with it. [Fall 2009, p.58]

For all its intriguing flourishes, it's hard not to think of Our Love as a slightly limp but occasionally brilliant follow-up. [Dec 2014, p.62]

The conviction that has defined her career so far is nowhere to be seen here and, whilst the reason for this change is still unclear, the result is a record of missed opportunities and inexcusable shortcomings. [Mar - May 208, p.54]

Heavy Ghost manages to give a pleasant trip off the grid. [Winter 2009, p.76]

Yoko isn't exactly what fans of the first three albums might be expecting, but it's still a Beulah album. [#5, p.99]

While the songs on Dream River aren't what anyone would consider pedestrian, they don't feel particularly daring or weighty. [Aug-Sep 2013, p.87]