In a live setting, Oasis are too often just another band churning out big, bad anthems for the masses.... it remains troubling that a band with so much quality material buried as b-sides or minor album cuts needs to resort to pointless, set-padding covers of Neil Young's "Hey Hey, My My," and the Beatles' "Helter Skelter."

Unlike recent collections Music and Ray of Light, the lyrical content of American Life relies less on spiritual introspection and more on woman-in-the-mirror confrontation.

Lloyd still serves up a satisfying sophomore suite.

Not every album can be a tour de force, but Keenan is normally much better than this even on his worst days.

What there is not quite enough of is Rhymes himself--the deft MC is a bit crowded out by collaborators' mic turns and auto-tuned refrains.

This Way is not as accessible to the masses as previous albums, but this jewel doesn't need to be so polished to glitter.

The Special Goodness' has crafted a dozen punk and pop-influenced songs that the modern rock hoi polloi will have a hard time leaving alone.

The constant talk of expensive cars, gyrating women and endless parties quickly becomes redundant--and boring.

Though Milian often comes off as a third-rate Beyoncé, her feathery soprano captivates when her lyrics do not.

A breathtaking refresher in all things Mos Def.

Man vs. Machine is an intense set that never stops.

While the majority of the cuts expertly merge the group's melodic vocals, the aggressive chants of Edwin Starr's 'War' are unbefitting an act known for silky ballads.

On the Missy Elliott-assisted 'Bad Girl,' the group croons about its seductive ways over heavy drums, while the bass-laden 'Sucka for Love' finds it confessing to being "addicted to kissing and hugging/touching and rubbing."

Nostradamus isn't likely to surprise you--this is softcore for the hardcore.

To be sure, Osborne proves again she has a wonderfully rich, sensual, and powerful voice that commands respect. But besides a winning cover of Bob Dylan's "To Make You Feel My Love," she chooses to showcase it among mostly flat and/or generic arrangements.

Gore's reworkings sparkle with visceral emotion, aching vulnerability, and sublime intensity.

As uneven as the film itself.

"Ultra Payloaded" is a party record that veers from the light, airy and catchy to the absolutely crankable. [2 Jun 2007]

While his talent as a lyricist may leave something to be desired, you can't fault the guy for his dedication to putting a smile on the listener's face.

A strong effort that trades sunny-sounding rockers and breakup songs for weightier concerns of war and family, "Lights" conveys that maturity without seeming strained. [28 Jan 2006]

Surprisingly, a middle-aged Cube still packs a youthful punch when it comes to the gangsta tales. [3 Jun 2006]

It is hard to hear much difference between each cut. [24 Sep 2005]

Now in his 30s, he doesn't surf the beat so much as box with it, with both brutality and no small degree of grace. That a rapper of this much verbal gymnastic ability is still making Perez Hilton cracks is too bad, but the bigger problem is that Eminem's recipe of gore and gay jokes sounds like the past.

While the debut showed him eager to step outside the confines of STP, he essentially has nothing to prove here, and as a result, it's a casual-sounding record.

Over the course of 14 cuts, the record gets a tad repetitive, with nary a fiddle or steel break within earshot.

Daughtry and his band return with similar aggression on their sophomore album, Leave This Town. Daughtry's ferocious growl is still the centerpiece of the new songs, but the band has also taken a few creative risks.

While the lyrics are more introspective and the music more electronic than what we've come to expect from the Pumpkins or his most recent project, Zwan, thankfully Corgan's distinctive vocals and grungy guitar riffs are ubiquitous.

[A] compendium of mostly refined Americana, albeit filtered through Black's uniquely cockeyed worldview.