's lead singer/songwriter, , is an unabashed, unapologetic worshiper of , using 's sound as a template for and, more importantly, interpreting 's teenage angst as something entirely un-ironic and confessional. This is a pretty skewed reading of but not an uncommon one, and there have been scores of bands that have devoted their careers to ironing out every quirk in 's legacy, with being one of the more prominent of this legion in the new millennium. In 's interpretation of , music is just a vehicle for emotional catharsis and boy did he ever have a lot to get off his chest in 2007, as in the previous year he lost a guitarist; was subjected to the humiliation of his ex, , pretty much writing an entire album about him on 's (including the withering hit single ); and did a stint in rehab. All this turmoil is evident on their third proper album, , an over-written title that hints at 's propensity for purple prose (but not his predilection for profanity; the F-word powers more than a few choruses here). Those words -- tortured and tormented, entirely too literal -- are at the center of as doesn't really have an interest in musical development, just pouring out his soul. It's a bit odd that he pairs these naked emotional bloodlettings to music that is jacked-up and overly polished generic active that all blends together -- the one midtempo tune with an identifiable melodic hook stands out -- but for all his angst, he doesn't really put a unique spin on it; they come across like cliches, not confessions. And so, winds up being sung cliches over musical cliches, heartfelt but not exactly heart-rending. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine