keepers 4
keeper avg .267
This first studio album in 18 years is as chock full of hooks as it is chock full of songs, 15 to be exact. Though every song is catchy and memorable in a similar way, there are some definite highlights, include the sweetly chromatic opener "Head Vs Heart"****. Actually, that winning pop songwriting strategy shows up throughout the album, as most songs on the album are written perfectly. The problem with this is that most of the songs, at least those by the "primary songwriter" (I don't know enough about them to know them individually), seem nearly identical. The pulsing bass of "Sign of Life" sets it apart a bit. The punchy chorus of "Wrong Idea"**** is great, especially the way "BOX you in" is especially plosive. "I Thought You Knew" is littered with some cool riffs. "Out Of Round"**** interestingly channels both Joe Jackson and psychedelia. The real standout is the Stones-y "Hot Mess"*****, which just rocks hard, like Buckcherry but good; so much it sounds like it's on the wrong album. Everything else sounds the same by comparison, like it was written after reading a power pop for idiots book.
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