Although their last album, "Blue Skies, Broken Hearts... Next 12 Exits" was their second record, it was the first taste most people (including me) had of The Ataris. It So while I was hopeful for this new album, I expected a slump; bands don't usually follow up a hit record well. While I don't think anyone really expected them to surpass their last album's quality, catchiness, and enjoyability, The Ataris haven't slumped either. Maybe melancholy and somber, but no less catchy or well crafted than the last. The first 4 or 5 songs are definitely the best, following the singer's usual format of singing about being lonely and wanting to get with a girl he can't have. After a couple of albums of these songs, it starts to get a little old, but if you stand back from that they're pretty good.

Later on in the record they start experimenting with different sounds, a little bit of something I can only describe as new-Green-Day-slaphappy sound (I personally don't like this). Surprisingly, on track 13, we hear some screaming and rage, and their sound seems a lot like The Descendents. The song itself almost amused me, after hearing so many bouncy pop-punk songs, although it's decent. But overall, I think any Ataris fan will enjoy this album and it's worth listening to; there are 3 or 4 songs on this album that are better than anything on the last. But as I expected it doesn't stand up to the last one when the albums are compared as a whole.

Steph Says: B-