BuzzCuts: New Music
Ajax, Ontario's pop-punk sons Sum 41 return this week with their fourth full-length album, "Underclass Hero," and show they've done little to stand out from genre mainstays like Good Charlotte. Also, Canadian twin songstresses Tegan and Sara release "The Con," the follow-up to 2004's highly acclaimed "So Jealous," and Aussie alternative rockers Silverchair stage a comeback with "Young Modern," their first album in five years.
Sum 41, "Underclass Hero" (Island)
Sum 41, "Underclass Hero"
Tegan and Sara, "The Con"
Silverchair, "Young Modern"
After toying with their metal influences on 2004's "Chuck," Sum 41 have gone punk again but done little to widen their fan base on their fourth album, "Underclass Hero."
The radio- and TRL-friendly singles are here, and their young audience will likely jump all over this release — but it begs the question: How do they stand out from other pop-punk mainstays like Blink 182 and Good Charlotte?
The answer is that they simply don't.
Singer, guitarist and songwriter Deryck Whibley — aka Mr. Avril Lavigne — tackles the same subject matter most of his peers can't stop singing about: thumbing your nose at the establishment ("Underclass Hero"), self pity ("Count Your Last Blessings"), a girl you regret losing ("With Me," "The Best of Me"), parents that are a drag ("Dear Father").
He manages a few angry digs at our president with "March of Dogs," "The Jester" and "Confusion and Frustration in Modern Times" — but it never rises to the conceptual level Green Day reached with "American Idiot."
A catchy record for sure — but do you need to pick it up? Only if the genre's repetition isn't driving you crazy yet.
CHECK THIS TRACK OUT: It's hard to choose a standout among the similarity, but "Walking Disaster" boasts the pulsing three-chord riff and sing-along chorus that are Sum 41's bread and butter. (John Kosik)
Back to topTegan and Sara, "The Con" (Vapor/Sire)
Canadian twin sisters Tegan and Sara Quin twisted through the indie rock circuit for years before pushing the proverbial music fame button with 2004's crisp pop-rock album "So Jealous."
"The Con" is a worthy follow-up, rich with the duo's distinct knack for pop hooks, dueling sugary vocals and confessional words.
After touring behind "So Jealous," the sisters took time off and time apart to write separately, later moving to Portland, Ore., to record with Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie). They used their self-produced home recordings as ground work.
The album's title song is a radio-ready jolt in layering, starting with an acoustic melody and building up to a smashing synth and guitar chorus.
"Encircle me, I need to be taken down," the pair blast in yelpy unison.
On the bleak "Are You Ten Years Ago?," written by Tegan, dance beats topple over robotic vocals. Oppositely, Sara's "Back in Your Head" sifts on a poppy piano refrain.
But the two feed each others strengths. Tegan wrote the bridge for the nostalgic zinger "Nineteen," a heart-torn tune made explosive by drum solos. "Like O, Like H" proves Sara's lyrical prowess, and the words point to the group's maturing range.
"When I was 8, I was sure I was growing nerves, like steel in my palm," she sings. "Make a map of what you see, direct pain effectively."
CHECK THIS TRACK OUT: "Nineteen" catches your ear immediately, with Tegan's yearning intro stretching out over crunchy guitars: "I felt you in my legs before I ever met you." (Solvej Schou)
Silverchair, "Young Modern" (Sony/EMI)
Oh my, how the boys from Silverchair have grown.
Wily veterans now in their late 20s — the Australian trio were all of 15 when they recorded their 1995 debut "Frogstomp" — Silverchair have again taken a huge leap in artistry and sophistication with their fifth longplayer, "Young Modern."
Those who haven't heard much from the band over the years — their breakout hit "Tomorrow" was the most-played song on American modern rock radio in 1995 — should prepare for a real eye-opener.
Lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Daniel Johns' eloquent and passionate vocals are a far cry from his pubescent nasal wailing, and compliment complex arrangements and crack rhythm from bassist Chris Joannou and drummer Ben Gillies.
Only the pulsating title track serves as a bona fide hard rock song, with a majority of the disc relying on acoustic guitars, piano and lush orchestration courtesy of Beach Boys and U2 collaborator Van Dyke Parks.
Highlights include a diverse three-part suite in "Those Thieving Birds," the light touch of "Reflections of a Sound" and "All Across the World," and the sweetly romantic "Waiting All Day."
After breaking nearly every record in the book for an Australian recording artist, it might be time for an American audience to rediscover Silverchair.
CHECK THIS TRACK OUT: With soft piano that builds into a baroque pop delight, the soaring and contagious lead single, "Straight Lines," affirms just how far Silverchair have come over the last decade. (John Kosik)
Previous BuzzCuts: New albums from Editors, Raul Malo, Suzanne Vega, and Meat Puppets.