With such a variety of moods and sounds, "S.T.R.E.E.T. D.A.D." turns out to be the rarest of albums: able to make you think but more interested in making you dance.

The New Jersey crew is still cranking out metal as frenzied and choppy as a machete-wielding madman, yet twice as schizophrenic.

The more cohesive undercurrents of "Lost and Safe" might display a formidable sense of growth for the band, but hardcore fans of the band's past work might be a little taken aback by the album's more direct approach. Nevertheless, these guys remain at the bleeding edge of pop innovation, even if it is more hummable than you'd expect.

It's the kind of recording that makes you wish you were there—but also makes you feel like you are.

Shockingly, "ONoffON" is almost on par with that landmark ['Vs.'], clearly the product of the same band operating at top form.

"Feels" is by far the most agreeable Animal Collective yet, but whether or not that's a good thing is for you to decide.

As personal as the album is, there is a universal quality to Cash's songwriting that will make listeners embrace the intimate feelings here as their own. [18 Feb 2006]

Producer Brendan O'Brien kicks up classics like 'Even Flow' and 'Black' by putting Vedder more upfront and toning down the reverb so listeners can better hear the interplay of guitarists Mike McCready and Stone Gossard. Disc two tacks on six more tracks that represent the real gold for diehards who have traded sludgy bootlegs of the band's early jams for years.

"Ga Ga" stand out as a fun, if somewhat peculiar, addition to the Spoon catalog.

While there are no surprises in its technique or approach, Sigur Rós has succeeded in making a startlingly beautiful record. [17 Sep 2005]

Another extraordinary Decemberists album.

With a less confessional and more confrontational attitude, this long-gestating album has lost the tenderness found on "Tidal" and some of "When the Pawn . . .," but her execution still commands attention. [8 Oct 2005]

[He] truly shines.

As strange as it is wonderful.

The 14 tracks find Thompson in typical tasteful form, playing with understated flash that straddles the trans-Atlantic divide to embrace Celtic soul and rootsy Americana, with bits of jazz and Jamaica ("Bad Monkey," "Francesca") thrown into the mix. [2 Jun 2007]

The result is an album of tremendous fullness: The sound is dense, the lyrics are complex, and the production is top-drawer.

Retaining the naked simplicity of 2000's "We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes" while continuing to hone the more lush, hi-fi sound found on 2001's "The Photo Album," the fantastic "Transatlanticism" is full of the lovely melancholy for which Death Cab is known.

Lidell has a fine voice, arguably one of the most potent white soul singers England has given us since Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie.

CYHSY is at the best point in the lifecycle of a band: un-styled, simply produced and deserving of the hype for what is -- quite possibly -- a nearly perfect album.

One of the year's best.

This is the stuff memorable summer days are made of.

It's trim rather than hurried, does not waste a note and, because of that, may be the best of Vega's seven studio albums.

With help from A-list guest stars (T-Pain, Robin Thicke) and producers (Kanye West, Swizz Beatz), Lil Wayne backs up the boasts [of "best rapper alive"] on the oft-delayed Tha Carter III.

The band too rarely steps out of its dream pop mode to actually move the listener.

Oldham's songwriting is top-notch as usual, his melancholy lyrics in perfect balance with the accompanying music.

Tango remains the constant for Bajofondo, but the 17 tracks offer quite a few variations on a theme.

Beyond merely blowing with avant-tinged, Coltrane-inspired tenor gusto, Lovano employs multiple strategies on several reeds, setting up melodic motifs, rhythmic start-and-stop phrases and playful dance-like romps.

Todd Snider relates his hilariously heartbreaking hard-luck tales with a deadpan sing-speak delivery while superproducer Don Was gives the scrappy bar-band arrangements a glimmer of studio-pro warmth.

While the batch he's cooked up on his the latest LP... stays true to the songwriting formula that has gained him over a decade of accolades, "Bright Ideas" does, in fact, find McCaughan at his most sonically expansive to date.

The inspiring combination lifts the album far beyond tribute material into sonic territory all its own.

Sweeping violins and take-no-prisoners guitars co-exist in producer Tony Visconti's gorgeous glam frame for Escovedo's visionary sound.

A fine, quirky entrance that hints at a band poised for bigger things down the road.

This mash-up, Beatles style, is cool stuff indeed, but is even more dazzling live onstage. [25 Nov 2006]

A daring yet accessible disc.

Curtis Mayfield would be proud of both lyrics and her throwback sound.

A gorgeous collection of intensely quiet songs filled with lush harmonies and haunting sonic atmospherics.... rarely has the group sounded better.

Brighter Than Creation's Dark is one of the meanest, leanest 19-track albums you'll ever spin.

"Light" is considerably harder-edged and less accessible than the poppier tunes of their fellow Canucks, incorporating bits of soul, blues, punk, noise and even avant-jazz, in dizzyingly fresh ways.

Though its novelty diminishes more with each listen (with the first being the freshest, most energetic romp of them all), "Bang Bang Rock & Roll" still stubbornly continues to amuse.

It may not pick up many new fans or even appeal to those beyond Cave's core audience, but these guys sound like they're having too much fun to care. [14 Apr 2007]

The-Dream has definitely bypassed the sophomore slump with "Love Vs. Money." The songwriter-cum-singer pushes the envelope production-wise (incorporating more of his Prince influences, among others) as well as lyrically.

The band's evolution is not without growing pains, but the balancing act of appealing to core fans while reaching for something more is mostly successful. [8 Oct 2005]

Sugarland's third album, finely crafted with producer Byron Gallimore, is proof positive that singer/songwriters Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush are on the cusp of superstardom.

On his sophomore album, the Washington, D.C., native offers a flawless blend of serene, soulful music with emotion-filled lyrics about his love, respect and appreciation for women.

The "Gangster" portion of the record is, as you'd expect, effortlessly strong.

It is some of Fagen's finest work to date.

Consumed in a busy lounge or with a pair of headphones, this set is a safe bet for any listener.

A disc of graceful beauty.

A remarkable debut by a band full of raw energy. [25 Feb 2006]

Sparxxx proves he's upgraded his whip-quick flow.

Perhaps the most intimate of an intimate series.

A substantial addition to the band's catalog.

Throughout, Cookie crackles with intensity, be it of the sexual, political, or religious kind.

His most accomplished song cycle to date.

While much of "Blacklisted" is hyper-stylized, suited for playing against the backdrop of psychedelic sunsets that only exist in novels and movies, the album's heart remains Case's voice, as real and strong as they come.

An album of uncommon intelligence.

His most accessible and engaging CD to date.

There aren't any subpar tunes and no flagging moments as Marsalis, pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts deliver a nine-song masterwork.

A richly textured collection of songs that further explore the possibilities of the group's grooving dream-pop blueprint but stays just weird enough not to attract the ear of mainstream radio.

[It] hints at a more complex approach to songwriting without abandoning the qualities that made us pay attention in the first place.

Beyond the bookish lyrics, Malkmus has composed an album of brilliant songs, with creative intros, off-kilter arrangements, and well-placed effects.

There is more than enough here to make up for any loss of zeitgeist-shattering impact the second time around. [28 Apr 2007]

The group has polished its '60s-rock-revivalist sound to near perfection, but keeps expanding its aural palette, experimenting with layered rhythms and sonic textures.

An extraordinarily potent recording, one that will likely be among 2001's best.

Impassioned and bold, this record is a triumph.

Early on frontman Yan (Scott Wilkinson) wishes us, "Welcome for a day--or stay forever," and if you do like rock music, you'll likely choose the latter.

Rooty revels in exploiting rhythmic combinations that shouldn't work--but definitely do.

The band's cadre of dedicated followers will no doubt forgive the dark direction as they file the disc in with their numerous other classics.

He takes on the American songbook to stirring effect-often without relying on traditional arrangements.

Subtlety is one thing, but at times Williams makes the Cowboy Junkies seem downright rambunctious.

Listeners are only too lucky to get a hot breath of summer fun in these cold winter months.

Improvisatory and poetic, Bardo Pond has more in common with avant-jazz and contemporary classical than with most heavy rock.

The album is laced with spacey, distorted guitar fuzz, delicate '60s pop melodies, groovy basslines and winsome lyrics that coalesce into a unified group of songs from start to finish. [17 Feb 2007]

Every one of these 15 tunes is a living, breathing creature, from the haunting, modal-tinged blues-waltz (with cello) of 'Rake' to the jaunty fingerpicking and mouthy dialogue of 'Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold' (a duet featuring son Justin Townes Earle) to the eternally elegant Tex-Mex anthem 'Pancho and Lefty.'

Consider "Silent Alarm" to be one of the best debuts of 2005 so far.

Proving that reunions can be a good thing, "Love Songs for Patriots" is a nice addition to this band's highly influential catalog.

There's a lot to love here.

Power pop just doesn't get any more powerful or poppy than this, with all three singers in fine form and the band -- all high-strung keyboards and frenetic drums -- blazing away at the speed of sound.

The album sounds cool, but it also sounds cold.

A delicious, genre-defying sound

The cerebral lyrics take center stage, as it were, while the band rocks out much harder than it did on 2005's melancholy "Black Sheep Boy."

This folk album is a loud, energetic, arena-ready fiesta.

"Alligator" is easily the National's best effort and quite possibly one of this year's finest records.

Holly Williams, the daughter of Hank Williams Jr. and granddaughter of Hank Williams, follows her own musical path to deliver one of the best singer/songwriter albums to come out of Nashville in the last year.

On the Jodeci-sampled 'You're Everything,' Bun B rhymes about his love for his hometown of Houston, while poverty, politics and spirituality dominate the reflective 'If It Was Up to Me.' But the most heartfelt track on the album is the one dedicated to Pimp C, 'Angel in the Sky.'

It makes for a difficult listen but will be fulfilling for those who find their way out on the other side.

Features some of the group's most focused and seductive work ever.

The band's collective songwriting skills impress frequently.

"Rather Ripped" is a concise serving of what the band does best.

An understated triumph. [9 Dec 2006]

It's no wonder that visionary artists like Brian Eno and Tricky have welcomed the act with open arms. "Good Looking Blues" finds the group combining the best elements of its past... with bluesy horns, Jamaican beats, hip-hop drum loops, and avant-jazzy excursions.

Ultimately, "Moon" may frustrate because it really is a little bit of everything: spastic, Talking Heads-ish funk ("Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes"), campfire acoustic yarns ("3rd Planet," "Gravity Rides Everything"), and Sonic Youth-ish rock epics ("The Cold Part," "The Stars Are Projectors").

That Lonesome Song is a testament to raw and real, right down to open studio mics catching stray commentary and static from a bad input.

Considering how prolific they are, it's a surprise that this vital album is only Buddy and Julie Miller's second duet project and their first since 2001

Green's voice remains lithe magic, and he's brought in such contemporary all-stars as Anthony Hamilton (on the album's two best tracks, "You've Got the Love I Need" and the slinky title song), John Legend and Corinne Bailey Rae for help.

Despite her prolonged absence, Bush sounds as vital as ever.

The real revelation here is their ability to show a more varied and at times vulnerable side to their sound.

A sparkling little gem.