Sometimes this all-inclusive attitude falls flat, like on the trading male-female vocals of "Tiny Paintings" or the collective shouting that is littered throughout. Yet when everyone harmonizes together on "Maybe You Can Owe Me" and "Do the Whirlwind" it sounds unforced.

Davies' first solo studio collection has all the tasty ingredients that epitomized the Kinks--primarily Davies' knowing lyrics and world-weary vocals. [25 Feb 2006]

A modest but consistently satisfying affair, rich in music and message.

There is plenty to love here, so don't be surprised when you find it has become the current soundtrack to your life.

But for all the growth, the band's continuing inclination toward a bludgeoning sonic attack and Moreno's violent, impressionistic lyrics make this a tough pill to swallow for most listeners.

Seven albums in, not much has changed for Rancid, and that's a good thing.

"Some Cities" is less epic, but no less important, than its predecessors.

These songs simply don't stack up to their predecessors.

Get Ready follows through fully on the promise of "Crystal."

There's an odd allegiance to the overblown prog-rock theatrics of Rush... and Yes... that seems incongruous alongside earnest Beatles homages... and straight-up, gloom-rock confessionals.

Be forewarned: There's not much along the lines of "Island in the Sun" here.... Still, there are plenty of smart hooks and catchy vocals throughout.

[It's] quintessential Shania, light as vapor, sweet as sugar, rendered with personality and undeniable charisma.

Being sampled by Lemon Jelly on this astonishing new album is nothing less than an honor.

An adventurous change of pace that stretches Raitt beyond her previous recordings. [17 Sep 2005]

One of the year's best. [29 Oct 2005]

On Free at Last, he demonstrates that being forced to cool his heels since 2003 hasn't dulled the rough edges of his appealingly hectic flow.

As if almost effortlessly, Travis proves track after track the difference between bravado and stone-cold brilliance.

It's a pleasingly indulgent collection of songs, stories and detours that will be something of a treasure for longtime fans and packs at least a dozen treats for relative newbies.

Aside from a few unique moments ("The Return," "Take Me Away"), there's not much new to report here.

While King's songs often hew closer to contemporary classical than pop, the patient listener will discern new colors in these lovely painted-desert landscapes with each listen.

Musically, the band works up a handsome country rock sound with shades of the Rolling Stones and Wilco throughout, making room for swagger ('Fix It,' 'Magick') and sentimentality ('Natural Ghost,' 'Evergreen') in equal measure.

"Hardest Way" is good, but perhaps not good enough to win him any new fans.

The set is best taken as a hardcore thrash scrapbook that immortalizes how Grohl spent some of his downtime from Foo Fighters: It has captured the memory and fierce emotion instead of being concerned with structure.

Though the final third of the album drags a touch as Wainwright lets up on the heart-pounding melodrama, the highs here are exceptional. [19 May 2007]

Digesting the blend takes some time, but the best moments offer that immediacy, as on the opening punch of the groovy title track and the chiming "Magnificent."

Fans will note a lack of Bruceness here: big-sounding proclamations about faith and dreams are few and far between, replaced by sneakily complex love stories all washed down with sudsy pop.

Young Jeezy balances commercial/ pop aspirations with core hip-hop sounds on The Recession, getting a lift from DJ Toomp, Drumma Boy, Midnight Black and longtime collaborator Shawty Redd on this sonically enjoyable follow-up to 2006's "The Inspiration."

The Oklahoman delivers in spades on her sophomore effort, on which she was much more involved in the creative process.

A rock-fused, hook-friendly set that ably distances the Philly native from her pop/R&B origins.

Starsailor is one of those wonderfully rare bands that manages to be gentle and sensitive while also rocking admirably.

As she evolves, Spears is wisely sticking with age-appropriate material that her teen constituency can bond with.

The end result is what Ride's "Nowhere" would've sounded like had it been produced by Frank Zappa in 1972.

While some tunes, like the Columbo-background-music-ready title track, suffer for their weightlessness ('Metronomic Underground,' we miss you), the Motown-meets-Esquivel 'Self Portrait With Electric Brain' and beat-oriented electro of 'Valley Hi!' and 'Pop Molecule' read as exquisitely wrought.

The rest is closer to the Coldplay we know: a competent blend of heavily orchestrated redemption songs ('Viva La Vida,' already the biggest hit of the band's career), swirly arena rock ('Lovers in Japan') and life-stinks-without-you ballads ('Strawberry Swing')likely to resonate despite the new bells and whistles.

A good old-fashioned mod-punk'n'roll record--nothing more, certainly nothing less.

Producer Bjorn Yttling, who brings in his Peter Bjorn & John bandmate John Eriksson and, on many of these 12 tracks, a full string section to add a kind of lush power to the group's melodic drone.

Although "Parachutes" brings nothing new to the table, Coldplay seems talented enough to transcend this early identity crisis.

Thoughtfully added complexities and musicality, like the horns and honky-tonk pianos that accent 'Army of Ancients,' bring Dr. Dog's now-familiar style to a new level of maturity and prove it's not just destiny bringing the band its success

Hatfield does her moody, catchy indie-pop to near-perfection after so much practice (nine solo albums during the past 16 years), and entertaining examples abound here.

This is by far the moodiest, mellowest stuff MacKaye has ever been involved with.

On the first part (Elephants), she sticks to brooding breakup ballads with long, languid piano chords and lush string arrangements, the perfect soundtrack for the lovesick....The mood changes radically on the second part, when Yamagata emerges with gritty, garage-rock tunes a la PJ Harvey, delivering defiant hooks with the energy of someone taking revenge.

While some songs don't click ("We Ain't" featuring Eminem), "The Documentary" still shapes up as one of the best rap albums of the year thus far.

Throughout, Cole leaves behind her staple vibrato, which is refreshing.

Depressing but arresting.

The Vocoder on the a cappella track 'Woods' puts forth a robotic wooziness that's more about technical expression than personal sentiment. With full-band backing, Vernon also seems more social on the title track and 'Babys.' What remains from "For Emma" is a dizzying and ethereal beauty.

On this excellent debut by her new duo with programmer Adam Pallin, Imani Coppola sounds no more interested in sticking to a single style than she usually does.

By turns playful, sexy, soulful, funky and passionate, Evans showcases the full range of her talents on her most consistent effort yet.

Shows a sure production sense to match the ever-perceptive singer/songwriter's observations on life and love.

The entire package hangs together gloriously: The renditions bear the sensuous heat of Dulli's self-penned work.

Where the Faint falls short, though, is its lack of daring; even with the welcome addition of strings (apropos of its cinematic live show) and varying styles, "Wet From Birth" sounds contained and merely likeable.

To save themselves from the sneaking accusation that they were fizzling out, the quartet self-produced and -mixed "Swimming," and the result is an album notably more laid-back and truer to their wistful personalities than 2006's "Two Thousand."

Far and away the group's most determined work of its 15-year career.

While there are certainly some forgettable moments here... the refreshing news is that "Normal Happiness" can stand proudly amid the Pollard oeuvre.

Marshall's reinterpretations reveal a welcome intimacy.

More than 40 years into their career, the Stones sound raw and dangerously alive.

Buck may not be as charismatic or as lyrically compelling as his cohorts, but he still makes a strong impression.

Manson proves again that he's one of the most skilled lyricists in rock today.

The first-time pairing with Rubin has resulted in a surprisingly cohesive mix of country and rock tunes.

While this album does not break new ground, it focuses on a fun and playful Prince whose turn of phrase and instrumental dexterity call to mind why we embraced him in the first place--and still do.

Too much here sounds like Coldplay-by-numbers, and the lyrics lack the deeper meaning the album seems desperate to provide.

Film-specific songs like "Make No Sense at All" and "Call the Law" fall flat out of context.

Focusing more on catchy hooks and Fergie-style chants than lyrics helps disguise her vocal limitations. [9 Jun 2007]

While the casual listener may tire of the repetitive synthiness of Anxiety Always, fans of the genre will dig the act's '80s-inflected tunes.

An adventurous singer/songwriter just like her sister Shelby Lynne, the vocally gifted Moorer doesn't shy away from bucking country tradition. In fact, she seems to revel in it.

The album may consign the Raveonettes further to cult-level status, but like a challenging mate, it seduces us into coming back for more.

Serenade is most compelling when Earle snarls in his irrefutable way at Middle East warmakers ('Jericho Road') and rural drug pushers ('Oxycontin Blues').

At times, the misery borders on cliché, but luckily, "Quarry" sports some of Morrissey's most direct vignettes in years.

This is the kind of record the Strokes and countless other newfangled pop/rock groups have been trying to make over the first half of the decade. But nobody's done it with such effortless flair as Phoenix.

On her sophomore set, Solange not only takes on a sound that differs from her pop-driven 2002 debut, but demonstrates that unlike her sister Beyoncé--who she vehemently refutes comparisons to on 'God Given Name'--she has no reservations about sharing personal experiences.

For most of "Saturday Night Wrist," Deftones contentedly let their instruments wander, inventing a meandering soundscape that broods in near darkness. [4 Nov 2006]

The new set isn't without a whiff of schmaltz....Thicke's strong singing--and a few winning uptempo numbers, including the infectious 'Magic' and the R. Kelly-ish 'Sidestep'--right the ship.

Time has not dulled the group's scarily tight musicianship. [15 Oct 2005]

Carnival II sounds louder when it's quieter.

The California-based trio continues its exploration of more straight-ahead rock and pop with surprisingly strong results.

Thursday's Epitaph debut melds the band's hardcore influences with shoegaze and atmospheric elements, with mixed results.

And while it is a bit less corrugated than some of its early work, it packs a bite that's far more venomous than any of the sound-alikes that continue to nip at Plaid's heels.

Returns to hip-hop basics.

Mr. Lucky makes up for lost time with 14 gems that showcase his sharp vocal stylings, particular brand of countrified pop music and (given his sex appeal) an equally impossible-to-believe preponderance of romantic heartbreak.

Seven years after breaking out of Sweden's eternal garage-revival scene, this color-coordinated quintet has somehow created its liveliest, most playable album.

Its debut U.S. set showcases its accessible modern rock and frontman Paul Noonan's ambitious lyrics.

The band retains a certain backwoods spookiness, meaning songs like 'Many Funerals' and sci-fi lead single 'Invasion' keep their edge amidst a clutch of tunes ('Come Clean,' 'Ten Cent Blues') that resemble nothing so much as mid-period Fleetwood Mac.

While Yusuf (formerly known as Cat Stevens) officially returned to the pop world in 2006 with the welcomed "An Other Cup," his re-entry has only now been fully realized with the thoroughly engaging Roadsinger (To Warm You Through the Night).

Williams and Elvis Costello get their twang on for the spirited 'Jailhouse Tears,' and a combination of new elements (horns) and powerhouse playing by her touring band Buick 6 bolster the set's emotional heft.

Populating that lyrical forest are knights, goblins, talking animals and ticking (shades of Peter Pan crocodiles), Costas spinning her offbeat tales like a young Suzanne Vega setting Brothers Grimm fables to music. It's all melodically accessible.

While the album isn't nearly as compelling as Wilco's latest, it proves a thoroughly enjoyable listen nonetheless.

Beneath the dreamy melodies is more than a hint of darkness, disguised by the languid arrangements and dreamy playing.

One of the prettiest albums of the year.

"Different Days" manages to be sleepy without being lazy and sad without being depressing.

There is a little too much tra-la-la-ing, but it's a pleasure to hear a new band having so much infectious fun. [24 Mar 2007]

From "Project Roach," where Nas says that the NAACP's burial of "n*gger" was pointless, to "Untitled," which discusses Louis Farrakhan's role in America, the Queens MC impresses his listener while provoking social and political thought.

Exceptional technical ability, lyrical insight far beyond their years and unbridled exuberance merge into one of the most promising rock entrances since Radiohead's "Pablo Honey." [18 Feb 2006]

Despite embracing the styles of decades past (specifically, the piano-driven pop of [Elton] John and the Bee Gees' disco-riffic ditties), the Sisters still manage to sound unique.

Barnes isn't so much indulgent as he is overly ambitious and seemingly out of his mind, making Skeletal Lamping as wonderfully brilliant as it is weird.

"Compound Eye" is difficult as a complete listen but works well in smaller chunks. [28 Jan 2006]

Flaunting the band's love for classic AOR riffs more here than on any other previous record, Nude chugs along on the strength of licks lifted from Led Zeppelin ("The Kicking Machine") and "Killer"-era Alice Cooper ("The Stupid Creep"), bringing a sense of boogie to Buzz's now-perfectly honed tablature of bludgeoning guitar work.

Thanks to Allen's still-sharp lyrical wit and an exceedingly crafty production job by Greg Kurstin, It's Not Me, It's You is hardly the grown-up buzz-kill it might have been.

Populated with high, lonesome soundscapes that condense the Americana epics of last year's "Black Letter Days" into concentrated studies of tears-in-the-whiskey depression.

One of his finest hours.