These guys got totally hosed on this album. Actually, it’s a better all around record than their debut. It’s more textured and emotional and the songwriting doesn’t depend on sunny pop melodies to get by. This thing is way thicker and pulsating (ew) and rockin’. It’s like the geeks have really manned up on this one, dropped the cuteness in favor of distortion pedals and songwriting. Apparently the denseness of the album put off some of the fans of the debut, but while that album was awesome in its own right, it was a little light on content. This one is the dork rockin’ out as if his heart depended on it-for a girl, for respect, for whatever. “Goddamn you half-Japanese girls, y’do it to me every time!” So solid, man. So good.
10