There is plenty here to suggest that West's magic has not entirely left him, but as a statement of art or true intent, this is a significant misstep from an artist with so much to praise.

For all its personality and heart, Wide Open is just too breezy in its consistency to be a certified gem.

Century moves the band into the 2000s, while still featuring the occasional nod to '60s songcraft. This change, ironically, strips The 1900s of much of its distinctiveness.

Most of the album is in second person, and it’s another way that Consolers of the Lonely isolates the audience. The lonely are far from consoled; they’re made to feel uninvited to a fantastic party. [Summer 2008]

Musically, Davies is on track, with strong arrangements and a capable band, but vocally he often reaches too far and ends up detracting from the song. [Spring 2008, p.82]

It certainly isn't breaking any new ground, but the combination of influences does come together in a way that isn't altogether uninteresting. [#13, p.94]

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala are fantastically talented musicians and arrangers. But until they rein in their astronomical pretension, they'll always look more important than they truly are. [#9]

This synthesizer-driven collection leaves you wondering why the male duo can't just recruit an awesome female to hit the notes with gusto and leave behind the airy vocals. [Dec 2014, p.90]

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]

The throaty, distressed vocals of James Johnson bring a bit more center stage gristle than this feely kinda stuff often gets. Well done. [Year End 2008]

The Best Day is a little backloaded, and after the dour first 25 minutes, things pick up.

While all is not completely lost, too many tracks seem to shoot for the kind of idiosyncratic wonderment that the band perfected on its first two albums, only to come out flaccid. [#13, p.89]

Sea Lion is all over the map. [Spring 2008, p.84]

The record is admirable for its crashing ambitions, but it unfortunately devolves into a tuneless, nearly unlistenable mire of avant-noise fragments. [Spring 2009, p.77]

While the band is probably not in danger of rubbing shoulders with Nickleback on commercial airwaves in the next few months, they wear their new sonic heft well. [Summer 2010, p.86]

An underwhelming collection that lacks focus and rarely lives up to the lofty aspirations of these two titans of modern music. [Fall 2008, p.79]

This is the album Hungtai needed to record, but not necessarily the record his burgeoning audience wanted to experience.

Is it jaw dropping? Worthy of actually muttering the words "holy fuck" in earnest? Nah. Well, maybe the drumming at times. But at the very least, it's worthy of a few shits and giggles.

There are a few diamonds here, but there’s also a lot of stray buckshot. [Summer 2008]

Bleak, caustic meditations for the hopelessly stoned or perilously patient. [#39, p. 74]

Their records have failed to capture their live verve and bile, too often bogged down by a sludgy production aesthetic. That is, until Ignore The Ignorant, the band's fourth and best album to date. [Holiday 2009, p.78]

It's hard to deny the Nashville charm of The Ettes, back for their fourth album, as they drive you down a back road with their blues-tinged rock, gliding as smoothly as Southern moonlight. [Jul 2011, p.89]

Nothing Is Precious Enough For Us is full of processed cafe rock and bland gypsy folk. [Fall 2008, p.80]

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]

From start to finish, they slather Partie Traumatic in quirk and tirelessly recycle the scrappy sonics of 'I'm Not Gonna Teach,' playing them out until even that gem of a single loses its luster. [Fall 2008, p.79]

Far from a dud, and most definitely something that will divide audiences rather than be seen as a unanimous failure or success, In Fernaux nevertheless reveals itself to be the work of an artist that appears to be enduring a period of reflection, rather than looking forward to the future.

The Voidist eschews some of the drone-y stoner rock of "starnge Hexes," but his Two Part Beast band is still muzzled by a plodding middle section. [Fall 2009, p.72]

It does feel like she is yet to fully reach the potential of her unique style and we are perhaps still awaiting something truly impressive that "All the Things" hints at. However, it's certainly very interesting listening to her sonic journey on the way towards that goal.