By Curt Devine

Switchfoot: Hello Hurricane
Atlantic Recording Corporation
Three Stars

Most of today’s ambitious rock bands try to pack their albums with as many catchy pop hooks, techno drum loops and messes of zany instrumentation as possible, but not Switchfoot.

The San Diego natives who make up this alt rock quintet believe that good music is simple. Their 12-track release Hello Hurricane seems reminiscent of U2’s early albums with a slight twist in aggression. Songs like “Needle and Haystack Life” and the title track “Hello Hurricane” let thick bass lines and heavy beats build into loud choruses that the band clearly wrote to play in grand-stage arenas.

Frontman Jon Foreman may be the band’s biggest strength. As a musician who writes a new song every day, his writing on this album shows that he can produce both quality and quantity. While tracks like “The Sound” may attempt to be tougher than Switchfoot’s sound should be, Foreman’s raspy vocals make them worth their while. In all, this album is a solid rock release.

Download: “Needle And Haystack Life”

Backstreet Boys: This Is Us
RCA/JIVE Label Group
One star

On the brink of the second decade in the 21st Century, boy bands seem an outdated joke, a fad that came and went with TRL and the end of the 90s. Yet here they are, back at it again. The Backstreet Boys seem unjustifiably confident with their new release, This Is Us, when there seems to be little-to-no relevance to today’s pop scene.

The slurry of 11 songs lacks any distinction from other generic pop outfits. Being that the album was written and produced by hit-makers Max Martin, RedOne, T-Pain and Ryan Tedder, it seems that if any group of amateur male singers could have had their vocals auto-tuned and packaged, the finished product would be the same album.

Even “She’s A Dream,” which was co-written by pop master T-Pain, lacks the catchiness that is found in so many other run-of-the-mill pop tunes. This album is good for a quick laugh, but it’s far from meriting the now Backstreet men a legitimate comeback.

Download: “Straight Through My Heart”

Paramore: Brand New Eyes
Atlantic Recording Corporation
4 stars

As a follow-up to their acclaimed 2007 energy-crazed Riot!, Paramore returns with the even more prodigious Brand New Eyes, which shows this Nashville group isn’t just the pop flavor of the week. Hayley Williams’ zealous vocals interlock with tricky guitar riffs and danceable beats to show why pop punk has become the new stadium rock. Unexpectedly, the album successfully turns from fierce-spirited tracks like “Careful” and “Feeling Sorry” to the softer sounds on “The Only Exception.” This shows that Paramore knows how to write music, not just four-chord pop choruses.

Williams also adds depth to the album with her endearing but often embittered lyrics, such as those of “Playing God” where she rebukes hypocrites by yelling, "Next time you point a finger, I'll point you to the mirror.” Yet the band’s hopeful outlook continues to shine through their music on joy-ridden songs like “Where The Lines Overlap.” For a band whose average age is 20, this is a big step forward.

Download: “Careful”

LOCAL CD REVIEW

Moodhosa: 10th St. Session
3 stars

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Moodhosa. I liked their music the moment I heard it, which is a rarity for me. I usually have to hear a song two or three times before I can snuggle up to it and say, “Hey, I think I kind of like you.” But with Moodhosa’s music—well, I guess you could call it love at first soundbite.

Their new EP 10th St. Session takes their sound in a whole new direction. If you’re used to the Moodhosa based in blues funk, prepare to go down a new road of modern rock with a distinctive southern twist. “Hollywood” has an edgier, more mainstream sound that would almost be called playing it safe if the guitar didn’t shine in the background. It isn’t quite like anything the band has done before, but it’s arguably a step in the right direction.

“Run” jumped straight from the album into my “Gainesville’s Best” playlist. It’s the kind of song you would blast from your truck as you went skidding through a restricted construction zone right after a heavy rain; in short, it’s dangerous, dirty and downright exciting. Although I can’t say that I’m sold on “Gospel,” lead singer Jose Peruyero’s voice is still distinctive and his vocal talent manages to make every song work (even the ones I’m on the fence about). Most singers aren’t versatile enough to have a rough-and-tumble song like “Run” on a record with a take-it-slow kind of song like “Sunshine.”

Despite the different styles, there’s a cohesive element to their music. You listen to Moodhosa, and you know you’re going to get modern rock music done in a classical way, and there’s nothing to complain about that.

—Lindsay Smith

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