If someone recommended to you as a good band and you picked up a copy of their latest release, , you might have some difficulty understanding where that classification came from. Because even if are an band, is not an album. For one, guitarist has been kicked off vocals completely, leaving plenty of room for to expand her singing -- and sounding quite nice, too, smoother and more melodic, choosing long, expressive notes over syncopated angrier ones. Her lyrics, while not exactly uplifting, don't look upon the tribulations of love with any kind of resentment. Instead, acknowledges that difficulties happen (or have happened) and that not much can be done but sing about them. She hasn't resigned herself; she just isn't taking immediate action. The opener, the made-for-stadium-anthem talks about what the characters will do at the end of the world ("I've got a plan, I'm going to find you," she sings, almost ominously), a steady drum and driving guitar propelling the song along, with ' bass monotonously echoing the guitar line, making it very radio-friendly. Unfortunately, the most interesting song musically, is the most predictable lyrically. It starts out nicely with a punky rhythm and reverby guitar riff, all of which leads to the inane chorus of "I'll make you mine because I love you so tonight." It doesn't get much better with which tries too hard to be tricky and metaphorical in speaking about a "boxing match," but is so obviously talking about something "bigger" that it would have been better just to get things out in the open instead of poorly hiding them behind a pair of gloves. The album also contains some noticeable departures from 's louder sound, but they work surprisingly well. which finds singing a lot like or , is pretty and smooth, and the cover of the -written cover comes off well, quiet and airy and clean. At this point it seems that are much more modern than , but that doesn't mean that isn't a good album. It just has to be taken for what it is. ~ Marisa Brown