When it's not pounding out overly mechanical drum patterns, the band is crowding the better moments with unnecessary noise. A friendly suggestion for Sea Wolf LP number four: solo acoustic. [No.92 p.58]

The Baltimore four-piece has the fuzzy guitar, the screamo vocals, the charging bass lines and an overwhelming sense of doom for stomping, post-Seattle noise punk. But the parts don't fit together. [No.87, p.54]

It's frustrating, because behind the superficial surfaces, these songs can thrill. [No. 150, p.52]

The LP works, but just barely... [Roberts] doesn't always mesh well with Morrison's cheerful singing. [No.86, p.57]

There's a brighter sheen to the new Shins ... [yet] too often feels like Mercer's straining and striving when he used to be quirky and charming. [No. 85, p.51]

Isaak's 12th record is simply a solid, predictable Isaak album. [No. 126, p.59]

As it's continued to grow, Ida has begun to sound almost ordinary. [#67, p.98]

Stygian Stride may officially be divided into six differently titled pieces, but it actually exists best as a start-to-finish totality. [No. 97, p.59]

Kindred is fun, but best in small, sugary doses. [No. 120, p.59]

There's no real depth allowed in the themes, of course, and it bears no small resemblance to most other post-LCD Soundsystem fare. But it's beyond pointless to fault another person's idea of goodtime music. [No. 98, p.52]

Tales From Terra Firma takes them to a more generic realm of sing-along indie rock, which is too bad. [No. 97, p.59]

Mansion Songs isn't a great LP, but there's a damn good EP buried in here. [No. 117, p.55]

Gab's good-natured hustle is commendable. [#85, p.55]

While BPM ultimately feels disjointed, it does get you thinking deep thoughts, pondering the similarities between brain activity and seismic activity. [No. 85, p.53]

Their grandiose mini-operas and stadium-size choruses can thrill. But to hear the relentless string of outsized anthems in a row is exhausting. [No. 105, p.55]

The synths are crisp and warm, and the beats are motivational in that '80's coming-of-age soundtrack way. [No. 85, p.57]

You have to admire the survivalist nature at hand here and the ability to craft an album that doesn't smack of inorganic hashtag laziness like those of many contemporaries. [No. 145, p.59]

From a fan's point of view, this [playing the same songs for years] rarely works. And it rarely works here. [No.99, p.55]

Overall, though, Mr. Love & Justice is a collection of broken promises and lyrics that don’t live up to their potential.

With Rented World, the Menzingers aren't doing anything new; they're simply coasting from where Impossible Past left them. [No. 109, p.57]

The finest moments here are all Feist-like. [#70, p.102]

The melancholia lacks distinguishing marks. [#64, p.80]

It undermines its poppy ideas with unorthodox chord changes, meandering melodies and a jarring minor/major push-pull. [No. 117, p.61]

Lady gets high marks for nostalgic soul--with all the trappings of horns and strings--but ultimately the album recalls everything that was great about '60s soul, past-tense. [No. 96, p.56]

Decidedly pleasant. [No.87 p.60]

Their dizzy, easygoing drone-pop has been replaced with faceless consistency, a sonic chutzpah that cries out "modern rock." This in itself doesn't mean Take Back... is a flop -- far from it. [#49, p.71]

Gradually succumbs to torpor, with track after track given over to midtempos and pretty-yet-languid riffing. [#64, p.104]

Detrola, while still unpredictable, manages a certain unity. [#71, p.99]