That The Aluminum Group is an acquired taste becomes more true with every album, but each outing provides at least a few tracks like these ("Satellite", "Tom of Finland") that truly captivate.

This back-to-basics approach gives dynamic focus to Harvey's lyrics, which tantalize with their taut, elliptical precision.

The secret to Garnier's accessibility lies in his ability to locate fresh specific sounds and organize them sparsely atop the existing framework of electronic dance music.

New treats for established fans and a quick overview for the newly curious.

When you string them all together and play them to the bleachers, "Cups" and "Push Upstairs" and "Shudder/King of Snake" sound remarkably interchangeable.

The first album from The Sixths was a dirge-like affair, but the new one's delightful.... The maturity of Merritt's songwriting lends emphasis to the singers' voices and interpretive powers; more often than not, they avail themselves capably.

This sort of thing may be n steps removed from the dancefloor, but it's also thrillingly physical, even while it tantalizes the mind.

"Mosaic Thump" still suffers many of the weaknesses of its genre. Like most rap LPs it's overlong and features too many guest stars.

Unfortunately, the melodic acumen Merritt displayed on last year's Magnetic Fields opus, "69 Love Songs," is largely AWOL on "I'm Lonely and I Love It."

In the year between its European and its and U.S. releases, "Movement" lost four tracks and gained four others, but these dubious "improvements" turned the disc from a decent dance-pop LP to a blatant, though scattered, crossover bid.

From start to finish, "Midnite Vultures" is a total party romp of an album.

"So ..." is one of the most innovative albums of the year, stretching the gamut of every musical genre that melts in your head, not in your mouth.

Despite initial misgivings, "The Contino Sessions" has a hypnotic effect that does shine through and is one album that improves upon repeat listens. While not perfect ... "The Contino Sessions" is a dark, mysterious album that will leave you with more questions than answers.

Unabashedly beautiful tunes like "I Don't Believe in the Sun" and "Come Back from San Francisco" provide provide ample payoff for the arduous process of listening to the collection in total.

It's easy to dismiss crossover hits as a dumbed-down version of an underground sound. But damn it, this is a phenomenal album.

The most consistently lovely album of his career.

"Central Reservation" is a decidedly grown-up pleasure and Orton is an artist who succeeds splendidly on her own modest terms.