Hmmm...This is one album that left me scratching my head. To be perfectly honest, I am really not sure if I like this or not. I know that I enjoy the cookie-cutter single, "Hit or Miss". While most fans of the band prefer the version of the song from the previous album "Nothing Gold Can Say" (is that an emo title or what?), I think this version sounds a hell of a lot better.

Other than that, I am not sure what I have to say about this CD. When compared to their mainstream pop-punk contemporaries, I think they have a little more credibility. Their songs seem a bit more mature than say, Blink-182 and they are certainly a lot catchier then Sum-41 or Good Charlotte. Still, something about this album doesn't sit quite right.

Perhaps the weakness lies in the bands inconsistant melodicism. Many of the songs just sound half-hearted, not quite reaching their potential. Some are winners-see "Hit or Miss" and "Boy Crazy". Others just seem to lazily ooze out of my speakers, leaving no impact on me.

I guess if given the choice, I would probably take this band over most any other mainstream punk band, aside from Green Day and earlier Offspring. Some of the songs are really good, others are just plain boring. For the most part, I enjoy this CD as background music. If you are looking for good emo-punk-pop, I would suggest starting with Samiam or Saves the Day before buying this album.

But that's just me.