Overall, worth a spin or two, but one hopes there's a better stash left to sample. [16 Dec 2006]

By abandoning the gloom and doom and embracing quirky power-pop, the Stills seem to have morphed into a less minimalist Spoon, and your replay mileage may vary based on how strongly you liked what they were doing before.

Despite having nowhere to go lyrically, he remains a remarkably potent presence.

while the first single, 'All You Did Was Save My Life,' provides some much-needed bite, "Burn Burn" is ultimately ballad-heavy and one-dimensional.

If parts of "Shock City" shudder under the weight of seeming too cool for school, much credit is due Beans for being one of the producer/MCs desperate to stretch out the rubbery boundaries of the genre.

It is simply miserable, heavy, repetitive and cathartic. [18 Nov 2006]

For every piece that sounds like aimless noodling, there are keepers like the strutting "Wheel Broke," the guitar-only "Mountain," the Tortoise-style "Balcony" and the absolutely gorgeous "Eighty Eights."

When the World Comes Down doesn't evince much growth, proffering more of the same hooky pop/rock centered around adolescent love and heartache.

One wishes they would spend a little more time plowing through the album while kicking amps and knocking over mic stands rather than changing things up.

Mark's sound here is cohesive and unified, though a pervasive midtempo vibe and downer subject matter (it's mostly a breakup album) tend to blur together. [3 Mar 2007]

For the most part, the producers simply add audio garnishing to Korn's signature sound via loops and Pro Tools trickery. [10 Dec 2005]

The new set goes just far enough beyond the call of duty to warrant repeat listens.

A gigantic step backward.

That overstuffed guest list doesn't necessarily work to the exclusive benefit of The Spirit of Apollo, as sometimes the clutter makes it hard to hear precisely what kind of music Zegon and Spiegel are trying to make here.

Here, there are moments when he entertains us and other times when he doesn't.

"Run the Road 2" does not live up to its crack predecessor, but that observation is neither a surprise nor a slam. [18 Feb 2006]

With a few notable exceptions... inspiration is just what this album lacks.

The songwriting grows less challenging as the album unfolds, often lacking the kind of vocal performances that provide real traction.

Son Volt may be playing it too safe on American Central Dust, but the songs are still woven together with a feeling of comfort and familiarity.

The rest of Identified, though, panders to the preteen demo with stop-start pop that ranges from pleasant (the title track) to dull ("Amazed") to off-putting ("Hook It Up"). But for little girls, this is one nonstop singalong.

A mostly solid collection of quirky dance pop and cryptic rock.

There is an easy-listening elegance to his songs, but the album plays out like a soundtrack to sipping coffee. [28 Jan 2006]

It's a very sexually explicit R. Kelly who greets fans on this outing. [2 Jun 2007]

There are only a couple of songs with enough impact to avoid boring people who catch the band on tour this summer. [9 Jun 2007]

While over-produced and quite sentimental, this is a very sweet record.

Though this music could easily be viewed as Longwave's take on Interpol's take on Coldplay's take on Radiohead, it isn't that derivative or boring.

Think of a visit to Nana's house reimagined as alt-Broadway musical theater. [29 Oct 2005]

More often than not, even Shadow's most extreme sonic detours hit home.