On the initial pressings of 's debut , there was a sticker attached to the cover, informing all curious consumers that this is the "new project from vocalist/frontman !" This is needed, since and his colleagues -- singer/songwriter and drummer -- all take pseudonyms for this trio, all for no discernible purpose. That is, there's no purpose unless the alter egos allow all the three to indulge in a spot of adolescent wish fulfillment, an aural midlife crisis where the trio returns to the they loved as kids and starts cracking jokes, ranging from the silly to the profane. earns its parental advisory sticker, too, since it seems like the group swears on every other track, but it's also a little strange to have it there, since it's difficult to believe that there are any teenagers out there who want to hear middle-aged guys in leather pants singing . That said, the sensibility of is closer to that of (or perhaps more accurately, ), so any kid who does hear it will certainly get a chuckle out of some of the goofy jokes, but given the points of reference -- , , musical allusions to ( ) and ), a cover of 's -- it's much more likely that this will resonate with listeners who have grown up with and are also pining for those young and innocent days. If you share their sense of humor and nostalgia, can be a gleeful, entertaining excursion into candy-coated , filled with sweet, memorable hooks. If you don't share their perspective, the popcraft is still enjoyable, even if the humor keeps you at an emotional distance. Either way, is a sparking, tuneful, cheerful record that's nearly as much fun as it was intended to be -- more fun than most latter-day albums, to be sure -- and is either a fun one-off project or a promising start for . ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine