With the first release, Chemistry, you would think some experimentalism was going on--but it isn’t. That’s not necessarily a bad quality, but the lack of daring pushes this release into the mediocre pile.

Like Stereolab backed by the Muppet Babies. [Jun 2006, p.114]

It’s enjoyable as easy-listening, but there’s nothing about Climb Up that truly grips you. For that, APSE will have to exist in electro-rock mediocrity for the time being.

The music is fresh and rather hypnotizing.

Dalek is like a fine beer...it is an acquired taste, but once you get past that part, it is delicious. This is demonstrated well on Gutter Tactics, his newest release.

It goes down like a cold fresh glass of Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, circa 1988. [Sep 2003, p.102]

If you’re interested in Keating’s deck work or Lord’s acid rock breakbeat, their Black Ghosts mixtape will set you straight, but this partnership has manifested considerably deeper songwriting skills for both of these guys.

It simply doesn't satisfy. [#90, p.115]

Dystopia pop at its most intriguing. [May 2005, p.93]

Suffers slightly from pasteurized cheese. [Oct 2006, p.120]

The lyrics are largely uncomplicated musings about disastrous love and lust but the band manages to broaden its musical style without compromising its core identity. A solid next step in the band's evolution and not a bad listen either.

The album engages after repeats, but initially offers volume's immediacy over intimacy.

It's clear that we have a gifted songwriter on our hands. [Jul/Aug 2006, p.117]

There's a psyche-rock track with UNKLE on here, for chrissakes. But yeah, dude has skills.

Everywhere At Once, LB's Anti-debut, is also a practice in nostalgia--but it's decidedly more me-centric in execution. [Mar/Apr 2008, p.109]

All good, but not quite great. [Apr 2004, p.85]

Worth the wait, Knowles West Boy provides a uniquely varied soundscape from an equally enigmatic musicmaker. [Jul/Aug 2008, p.87]

Her rhyming ability is versatile yet non-braggadocios. And it is these ingredients that gives the music world a fresh yet veteran voice.

Although at times the tunes become monotonous, the brother and sister group show that they’re going to be around for a hot minute, cranking out anti-Disney channel ditties in the name of all things punk.

Jel's cagey, chunky breaks interlace into stereoscopic head-nodding noir. [Mar 2006, p.113]

Sure, she may not have as many debauchery-tainted demons to exercise as the Winehouses or the Holidays but that doesn't make 19 boring. [Jul/Aug 2008, p.88]

Even though Prekop and Prewitt continue interlocking their guitars over spiny rhythms from McEntire and Calridge throughout the set, something doesn't quite click often enough this time around. [Nov/Dec 2008, p.87]

This girl's gritty production and fluid time signature shifts make for an intriguing listen. [Oct 2001, p.134]

NY's Finest shows glimmers of what Rock can do, but it's unfortunate the album came out before Soul Brotha #1 was warmed up.

It succeeds in the same subversive manner Peaches did six years ago. [Jul/Aug 2006, p.118]

Emphasizes stripped down drums & bass. [Apr 2007, p.102]

Their sound has life, culture and tiny details that could only be developed from a wide variation of instruments and worldly inspirations.

Following a seven year gap between studio albums, Sacramento's CAKE is back with the compelling, yet inconsistent Showroom of Compassion.

While it misses the suicidal rush of imminent destruction, Evil Heat still sounds dangerously rash. [Jan 2003, p.76]

Amid all the beaming newness of Radical Connector is something familiar and unsettling. [Sep 2004, p.116]

More Libertines than Franz Ferdinand, the Futureheads deftly move away from being pigeonholed and reward listeners with a complex album of pop gems. [Jun 2006, p.111]

This quirky little record shouldn't lose any old fans and may just gain her a few new ones. [Apr 2007, p.108]

His vocal patterns on None Shall Pass are enthralling, but they mean absolutely nothing. [Sep/Oct 2007, p.127]

Although this album is an improvement from his previous work, to fully understand this album (and his work overall), you must see him live.

Though varying little from past Tyde albums, Three's Co. is a welcome tribute to summer. [Sep 2006, p.139]

Builds upon the familiar grab bag with the addition of a trippier, more psychedelic vibe and high-profile, pop-minded guest vocalists. [Mar 2005, p.114]

While not up to par with either of their previous albums, Bee Hives is certainly a pretty, if uneven, addition for fans. [Jul/Aug 2004, p.124]

This madcap comp is a blast. [May 2002, p.120]

Good guilty pleasure music. [Oct 2005, p.76]

Treasure's aggressive style deftly balances Cad Petree's more melodic side, and sees the band straddling the line between insistent, hard-hitting rock and Coldplay-esque balladry. [Nov/Dec 2008, p.87]

There are fewer acerbic-tinged, catchy pop tracks that made thier last two efforts so essential. [Oct 2003, p.86]

Scale slips into un-passionate, boring territory--in part due to the vocalist, who make sthe whole thing sound somewhat homogeneous. [May 2006, p.86]

Beans and Subtitle are especially fitting on vocals, since both are as loopy as the beats. [Sep 2004, p.115]

Songs are succinct yet maintain an eye for layering oblique, eccentric detail of almost prog proportions. [Jun 2006, p.111]

Quite boring. [Jul/Aug 2006, p.125]

A refreshing batch of summery, carefree downtempo songs. [May 2004, p.85]

The blues stomps have been muted, and none of the 11 songs are her own. [Oct 2005, p.110]

An odd album... this might well have been called Badly Drawn Boy: The Musical. [Oct 2006, p.117]

Bunkka has the savvy and brass tacks to challenge even the Jedi master of music/marketing synergy, Moby. [Jul 2002, p.97]

While the new songs don't reach that across-the-board crossover appeal, there are some synthed-out gems that get a proper unveiling. [Nov/Dec 2008, p.86]

While Kesto's sweeping scope is impressive, this long-player is best reserved for cold winter evenings and late-night introspection. [Jul/Aug 2004, p.126]

Fans of Bubba's previous Southern-inspired offerings will delight in these extra helpings. [Mar 2006, p.122]

The problem is that all this pop-happy acoustic strumming lacks the awkward warble of Bright Eyes or the destructive heartbreak of Elliott Smith's music. [Mar 2007, p.101]

With the Pixies re-run now seemingly over, it's good to hear the "other Deal" project back in full effect.

So while the music on this disc might not inspire a wave of followers and imitators like his Pixies days, Thompson is clearly having a lot of fun cranking out his latest batch of rock ‘n roll surrealism.

You love your iPod, so you'll like this album, at least the Bowie-esque parts. [May 2005, p.92]

Their micro-programmed folk has worn thin due to imitators. [Jul/Aug 2005, p.107]

Whether live or memorex, it's really hard to tell the difference between the two, especially on excellent if-it-ain't-broke tracks like 'Fake ID' and 'Doing it Right.' [Sep/Oct 2007, p.130]

This duo can only be measured against themselves and for the first time, it don't measure up. [Sep 2006, p.139]

This could be the second half of Menomena's debut. [Jan/Feb 2006, p.81]

When The Streets gets lazy, he becomes less of an artist and more like a novelty. [May 2006, p.80]

Black Dice continues to produce highly interesting music, no doubt, but be warned that it’s not for the faint of heart or imagination.

It's a lot of wicked, loud noise, and if that's your thing, this is your record. [Jun 2004, p.84]

Too bad they bring nothing new to the fold. [Dec 2004, p.118]

Far from forgettable, Black Cherry falls a bit short of the sum of its parts but is valuable for its more daring numbers. [#104, p.96]

Coxon finally seems to be coming into his own. [Mar 2005, p.111]

Love her or hate her, Between My Head And The Sky isn't terrible. Yoko Ono is still in the game, and if it's possible to find a deeper meaning to lyrics like "Why is [the elephant] so big/ He says because you're small honey," then more power to her.

Tongues is a shorter, tighter set of songs that retains the pair's reckless spirit of improvisation and experimentation. [Apr 2007, p.104]

Nomad is ambient music for beatheads in need of a record to clear their minds to, or dance music for new age lovers.

The tunes are taunt and chipper and the instrumentation is full and flirty as promised. But their tunefulness falls into question with these ears.

Great Northern may not have learned the art of being musically economical, but perhaps their greatest strength lies in their maximalist tendencies.

Polysics' contorted robotones are so hot they should spew from volcanoes. [Apr 2006, p.97]

Rounding out the record with the 15+ minute 'Sequenced,' we're dropped back into the slow catatonia exhibited earlier on--and while this is a perfectly nice place to visit for a quarter of an hour, it may leave you yearning for The Field's previous world of sublime

The songs have parts that are memorable but your finger is always on the advance button. Overall, pretty good but could use some editing and improvement.

There's only so many times the melodic power chords of guitarist Mike Stroud can graze the quarantined beats of programmer Evan Mast before the combination begins to rust. [Sep 2006, p.142]

Their tried and true formula does wear thin in parts, as it always does, but there are enough creative wrinkles in this album to warrant repeat listens and contemplation.

The addition of elegiac, slower songs ensure that this post-punk quarter is only moving forward. [Oct 2005, p.85]

With many songs over four minutes and often consisting of blantantly stoned self-indulgent "jams," some trimming is needed.

Depressing? Slightly, but there's something cathartic here. [May 2006, p.95]

This albums isn't as infectious as "You're A Woman, I'm A Machine," but who cares? Grainger didn't make it for DFA fans. [Nov/Dec 2008, p.85]

Eccentricity is what defines Grampall Jookabox and their sophomore effort Ropechain, but that doesn’t make it any less listenable. In fact, Ropechain has its fair share of fine musical moments that actually benefit from the bizarre tendencies of the group.

This is not a bad record, just not what the game needed from De La at the moment.

What begins brillantly gets dismal to the point where it lacks the eclectic Cajun spice, a taste definitely required to stew up a truly heady gumbo. [Sep 2007, p.128]

Because the sound is based on repetition, yet it bounces off every wall it touches, the album can be like a bad trip inside the mind of a schizophrenic and new listeners may not be ready, but for the others who’ve supported the band in the past, it can be a welcome respite from the sound they’re used to.

Unfortunately, after six mightily exciting originals, the disc wanders into remix territory.

Get Awkward showcases a sound reliant on the push and pull between a band whose middle ground is fun.

Scream may be the most compelling train wreck of an album in recent memory.

A complex, avant-garde amalgamation of styles for only the most adventurous ears. [Aug 2002, p.116]

Although the majority of the album is not that memorable, it is pretty damn warm and infectious.

The difference between Super Furry Animals and all those freaky folk guys is that SFA aren't really trying to be all that freaky anymore. [Oct 2005, p.80]

Any track... could comfortably fit on any of their previous efforts. [Apr 2006, p.84]

Not exactly ironic hipster or fashionably cool... the end result, ironically, is damn cool. [Apr 2007, p.104]

The songs all come from a similar place, but a solid bass line and focused rhythm will always carry the day.

Unfortunately, lead singer Pall Jenkins's vocals are not as spectacular as the arrangements backing him. [May 2006, p.82]

[Heiruspecs] prove that they are definitely more than just Atmosphere's occasional back-up band. [Oct 2004, p.103]

Can get a bit monotonous and boring, but besides that a moody, grinding listen. [Mar 2006, p.123]

Dead Drunk will leave you feeling as if you sucked on an exhaust pipe and chased it with crystal meth. [Apr 2006, p.97]

A Hundred Things also contains quieter moments that work surprisingly well for such a loud record, providing a much-needed respite from the nervous scramble of the rest of the album.