It's been five years since listeners last heard from (not counting 2000's odds-and-ends assortment ), and those who might have been expecting a dramatic departure from the radio-friendly of the band's previous three regular albums will be either relieved or disappointed, depending on how they felt about it to begin with. But make no mistake: Those who accuse this band of being lightweight and terminally poppy are not only missing the point, they are also giving in to the worst kind of snobbery -- the kind that says music really ought to be anything other than fun. On the other hand, those who accuse frontman of sometimes delivering his lightweight, poppy songs with a bombast that is all out of proportion to their substance are actually onto something: Just consider the chesty roar with which he delivers couplets about, for example, minor domestic and emotional discomfort ("You need a little space/And I need mine"). But unlike or 's , 's mistake is not in taking himself or his lyrics too seriously; it's just that that's the way he sings everything, and that big, chesty roar is a big part of what makes him fun to listen to. Mainly, of course, what make him fun to listen to are his songs' irresistible hooks, and this album has those in spades: the -inflected (which cries out to be covered by ), and a respectful cover version of ' are all perfect for singing along with in the car, while and the power should have even the most jaded snob digging in his jeans for a lighter. They're not trying to save the world, folks -- this is just . And most people who say they don't like it are kidding themselves. ~ Rick Anderson