He's largely a victim of his own goodwill, sounding consistently exuberant, even when the message--'Politik Kills,' say--seems to beg for more. [Nov 2007, p.98]

His is an intrepid sound, taut and gorgeous. [Oct 2007, p.92]

This once-fiery, if rambling, thinker now sounds like a man cooled off. [Sep 2007, p.130]

The majority of Kala is limp and unfocused. [Sep 2007, p.133]

Eardrum lacks cohesiveness. [August 2007, p.75]

Suddenly with these [guest MCs] additions, a sound that felt dusty and dilapidated is now exuberant. [Sep 2007, p.137]

Forever captures Common maturing graefully into his--and hip hop's--middle age at a time when many peers are either talking retirement or being forced into it. [August 2007, p73]

A resurgent Prince unleashes his strangest yet most alluring rock project since 1988's astonishing "Lovesexy." [Sep 2007, p.137]

The Atlanta MC attempts the melodramatic, but to mostly underwhelming results.

Maybe The Mix-Up woks simply because it does nothing terribily wrong.

Ali fuses formindable mic skills and unvarnished honesty as effectively as Eminem. [Apr 2007, p.130]

Ozomatli's joyful beats... pulse with defiance. [Apr 2007, p.132]

On Shock, Timbaland has pushed himself--he's clearly striving for some of the charisma his best collaborators ooze. [May 2007, p.113]

[She takes a] new, inappropriately measured approach. [May 2007, p.115]

The music... is tacky and overproduced.... The songwriting here far outstrips Lopez's previous albums, though. [May 2007, p.116]

An album that, while imperfect, is nonetheless the best G-Unit release since his own platinum-selling 2004 debut. [May 2007, p.118]

A tepid debut. [May 2007, p.121]

There are crackles of life in his leaden thug poetry. [Apr 2007, p.128]

He's winking, sure, but this time it's through real tears. [Apr 2007, p.134]

This is his most conventional and guest-heavy work, but also a rewarding reminder that independent hip hop was once something more than a curio. [Apr 2007, p.128]

Draft is brisk and jaunty, but also finds Dilla at his grimiest. [Apr 2007, p.132]

!!! certainly have talent and energy, but not the heart to self-edit. [Apr 2007, p.130]

He sings with a quavering, unconvincing tremor, and his lyrics are often awkward and bland. [Apr 2007, p.130]

Here the production of Chicago post-rock maven John McEntire distends their horns... and fractures their beats. [Apr 2007, p.132]

While his lyricism is as sharp and searching as ever, inventive musical moments are scarce. [Feb 2007, p.125]

On Weekend, the group's clearly into its '90s phase, and enjoying it. [Feb 2007, p.124]

Good is comparable in spirit to the everything-is-in-play feel of Clash albums like Sandinista!. [Feb 2007, p.128]

Disorienting and sometimes brilliant. [Jan 2007, p.109]