Kindalike: New Found Glory, Sum 41

Lit’s latest album, Atomic can be accurately described in one verysimple, yet articulate word: Blah.

Though the tracks on Atomic provide certain potentially audiblecapabilities, Lit’s new songs seem to lack that certain in-your-facewow-ness, which was previously evident in its hit classics such as”My Own Worst Enemy.”

Most of the songs on the album present the same general sound:audible but not preferable. Whether it be the raunchy and meaninglesslyrics or lead singer A. Jay Popoff’s monotonous vocals, somethingabout Atomic just doesn’t seem to click. Perhaps the biggest problemwith this hum-drum album lies within the CD’s content.

Though favorable by reputation, Lit’s new album Atomic seems to bea downscaling progression of audio quality. The album begins intraditional Lit style, producing tracks such as “Something toSomeone” and “Happy In The Meantime” — catchy tunes that possess acertain TRL-wannabe potential.

As the album continues, the quality and content slowly begin todisintegrate into an abysmal muck of crappiness.

A summary of the album is most easily explained by their firstsong, “Something to Someone.” Somewhere out there, there’s probablysome hormone-enraged 14-year-old who truly believes that Lit’s newalbum really means something, but to the rest of the world, it willappear to be nothing more than blah.

–Dee Dee Chew

NEW ORDER – GET READY

Kindalike: Garbage, Electronic, “Brotherhood”

The video for New Order’s new single, “Crystal,” portrays fouryoung rockers, thrashing about on their instruments, bearing almostno resemblance to the band themselves.

New Order may have grown up, but with the release of Get Ready,the Mancunian outfit’s first in eight years, we see Bernard Sumner,Peter Hook, and Stephen Morris sounding more energetic than they havein years.

Get Ready is a satisfying listen from start to finish, with theonly minor lag being the lyrically weak “Slow Jam.” “Crystal,” in allits simplicity, is one of the most exciting singles of the past year.”60 Miles an Hour” sees the band revisiting the “Blue Monday”bassline, while “Primitive Notion” harkens back to their days in JoyDivision.

To fit in with the times, New Order has brought some friends alongfor the ride. Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie contributes vocals to”Rock the Shack,” while “Turn My Way” features a vocal appearance byone of New Order’s most infamous

imitators, Billy Corgan.

After an eight-year hiatus, New Order has proven they haven’tmellowed a bit. They may not look like the youngsters in their newestvideo, but damned if they don’t sound that young.

–Jeff Terich