Erratic. [Feb 2007, p.126]

It's a mixed bag. [Jan 2007, p.112]

Frustratingly uneven. [Dec 2006, p.165]

Clever turns of phrase, the reason you go to Banks in the first place, are in lesser supply on Apple, replaced with boilerplate declarations of supremacy. [Oct 2006, p.148]

There are soaring hooks aplenty, but there's little to fill the gaping holes in between. [Oct 2006, p.141]

Ludacris never truly breaks through. [Nov 2006, p.158]

Occasionally, the chemistry is thrilling... Mostly, though, Shadow picks collaborators allergic to subtlety. [Oct 2006, p.143]

When [Fergie] nails it--as she does about half the time on her genre-jumbling solo debut--the result is strange pop that successfully blurs the thin line between annoying and alluring. [Nov 2006, p.160]

Generally, Chingy is blank, as flat as tap water. [Oct 2006, p.150]

Timberlake and Timbaland... write frustratingly awkward songs. [Oct 2006, p.142]

Shockingly, Paris the vocalist is actually listenable; no Gwen Stefani, but better than, say, K-Fed. [Oct 2006, p.151]

Something's off... ESG's doe-eyed charm... is missing. [Oct 2006, p.148]

While she loses herself in Gwen Stefani-like posturing... Furtado masterfully combines Spanish and pop influences in her own unique way. [Jun 2006, p.164]

Though So Amazin' is ripe with sexuality, it's also a surface-dwelling effort devoid of any profound insights. [May 2006, p.137]

Grown feels more like an extended elevator ride than a true adult movement. [Sep 2005, p.236]

While a few of these efforts fail in the funk department, the album never sounds derivative. [Sep 2005, p.230]

Subpar sonically... Red Light doesn't push toward something greater. [Feb 2005, p.138]

More solid than spectacular. [Jan 2005, p.83]

Largely sounds like a drug-induced, incoherent jam session. [Dec 2004, p.215]

Unfortunately, Sweat is affected by some forced collaborations and shallow subject matter. [Oct 2004, p.184]

213's obsolete subject matter offsets otherwise satisfying sounds. [Sep 2004, p.236]

Cee-Lo's soulful spirituality is sorely missed. [Jun 2004, p.155]

Sermon's crisp production maintains a chill vibe, but the tight network of guests can't make up for his inadequate skills on the mike. [Aug 2004, p.141]

[He] sounds stuck in a rut. [June 2004, p.152]

The album is plagued by too many predictable bass lines and uninspired samples. [May 2004, p.163]

Each song here is crammed with all kinds of Kool & the Gang hand claps and Chemical Brothers bass drops. [Dec 2003, p.218]

Though Comfort Woman does not match the rebellion of past efforts, its overall joy is infectious. [Dec 2003, p.214]

Makes a fair case that few hip hop beat men can match the prolific musical canon of the RZA. [Dec 2003, p.214]