Just short of a decade into their incredibly successful and influential career, went into publicly stating their hopes to record a fresh-sounding album, a seemingly simple task that they somewhat ended up accomplishing. They needed a fresh album -- one that differed from their past couple, the similar-sounding (1999) and (2001), yet at the same time wouldn't alienate their notoriously fickle fan base. and had been fine albums, but definitely needed a change -- if they wanted to remain relevant, that is. There's a lot of turnover in the world because there's always the next big thing (whether it's , , or whatever), and the rare bands that do last (like, say, ) do so because they keep changing and therefore retain the curiousity of their perpetually aging (and thus perpetually dwindling) fan base while at the same time drawing in new generations of listeners. It's a tricky business, really -- you need to keep changing yet still maintain your essence. And does that very well on , where they deftly consolidate their past strengths and self-produce a succinct album that sounds like trademark -- yet purposefully doesn't sound like any album to date. It's a little paradoxical, but that's precisely what makes so interesting, especially for longtime fans. Particular songs draw from past albums -- whether it's the ultramelodic / style of the overt the covert or the seeing-red berserk -- while a few highlights ( ) break into exciting new territory. And perhaps most importantly, keeps brief: a baker's dozen in 45 minutes if you don't count the hidden bonus track (their ADD-paced live version of from 's comeback special). Because of the emphasis on brevity and variety (and especially quality), the album's over before you know it and you're left feeling hungry for more . ~ Jason Birchmeier