Groove Armada “Lovebox” (Jive)

Compare to: Paul Oakenfold,The Chemical Brothers, Daft Punk

Rating: 5 1/2

At one point in time, the British duo known as Groove Armada appeared promising, breaking away from their pop success with an ambitious down-tempo record. Now they’ve returned with “Lovebox,” only without much of the promising abilities once shown.

When Groove Armada released “Good-bye Country (Hello Nightclub),” critics seized upon the album, stating that it showed how a once-kitschy pop act could establish itself as a genuine, mature electronic act. With the release of “Lovebox,” the group will make critics eat their words.

The album begins with “Purple Haze”, a track that channels the lo-fi blues sound of the White Stripes. That is, until one member of rap group Nappy Roots breaks in, rhyming about Jack Daniels and non-filtered cigarettes.

Elements of bad party music are prevalent throughout the album, as demonstrated by both the first and second tracks. With “Groove is On,” Armada takes a house party sound and turns it up to about 11 on the volume dial.

With some nonthreatening MC rhyming about how hard life is, a bland back beat provides rhythm while the group’s founder, Andy Cato, hammers out a blues riff.

While Groove Armada seems to strive for that commercial happy-go-lucky sound now captured by electronic idiot-savant Paul Oakenfold and “hip-hop” guru Nelly, the group hasn’t completely forgotten what good music sounds like.

The third track, “Remember,” is a return to the intelligence of the group’s last album, as a female siren belts out a catchy hook over well-programmed beats and quirky electronic noises.

“Think Twice” features pop refugee Neneh Cherry. Over top of a longing piano line and more electronic quirkiness, Cherry lays down a soulful melody that is augmented by the returning bluesy sound prevalent throughout the album.

The latter half is characterized no more by bland party music, but by bland dance club-inspired house stompers, usually with a Jamaican guy toasting over the four-on-the-floor beats.

Overall, the album has its highs and lows. The group tries hard to reconcile its success as both a pop/dance group and a mature electronic act, but never really achieves its aims.

— Josh Nelson

Slowreader “Slowreader” (Fueled by Ramen)

Compare to: Grandaddy, Ben Folds,Elliott Smith

Rating: 9

Though Gabe Hascall and Rory Phillips are best known for their work in the now-defunct The Impossibles, Slowreader is not ska or punk. In fact, it’s too indie to be pop, too spacey to be rock and too tranquil to be emo.

The appeal lies in Slowreader’s gathering of likenesses from a variety of locales, most comfortably the singer-songwriter styles of Elliott Smith or Pete Yorn and the space-rock styles of Radiohead or Grandaddy.

Hascall’s voice is sometimes Ben Folds and other times Elliott Smith. It’s sad and intimate without being loud, whiny or shouted, a technique a few unnamed singer-songwriters have felt obligated to employ.

This is an album to be listened to in its entirety as the songs gently and seamlessly flow into one another to create a moody, atmospheric space-pop album. After a few listens, the songs sound oddly familiar, but the comparisons aren’t always overtly apparent.

The album opens with a lush mix of female and male oohs and ahhs on “Politics Music & Drugs.” The track is a simple arrangement of gentle guitars, tinkling tambourine, and a hushed Hascall. “Curious of many things but too lazy to move/ Far enough to spread the wings I stuck on with old glue,” Hascall croons.

Though “Anaesthetic for the Amputee,” is one of the most musically upbeat tunes on the album, its lyrics are far from upbeat. Those who aren’t intently listening to the album may find themselves smiling and singing along in blind happiness, though lyrics like “Lord I know you’re looking down won’t give me the strength/ To pull that trigger, put that bullet through my brain” are far from cheery.

The album’s first track, “I Like You Most,” could have come off an Elliott Smith album, though Slowreader one-ups Smith at his own musical game. Slowreader is also not at all unlike fellow-Austin, Texas natives The Gloria Record at times, especially on tracks “On That Day,” “Cold Cold Death” and “Stupid Bet.”

Besides a few crossover members, Slowreader doesn’t have much in common with The Impossibles. Slowreader is better.

— Erin Randolph

Socialburn “Where You Are” (Electra)

Compare to: Seether, Blindside, Moonraker

Rating: 7

What do Kurt Cobain, Silverchair and Trapt have in common?

Socialburn, a new band you most likely haven’t yet heard about, is being compared to all of these groups.

Fans posting on Socialburn’s Web site message board, at www.socialburn.com, talk mainly of two topics: how awesome the band is in concert, and who the band sounds like.

The comparisons range anywhere from Greenwheel to Oasis to Our Lady Peace. This is quite an interesting combination, but more interesting is the album itself.

“Where You Are,” the debut record from this Tallahassee, Fla.-area quartet, is rock through and through.

This album struggles to break through the clutter, and has potential to go big with a little luck and effort.

Song styles vary between tracks, but definitive guitar grabs the listener’s attention from the start.

Lead singer Neil Alday’s raspy voice breaks through the electric guitars with “Break Back,” the album’s first track. “Down,” the first single, follows with similar heat.

Both combine Alday’s familiar-sounding vocals, making the music worthy of comparison to the aforementioned rock greats.

In a sort of contrast, Alday’s voice then mixes with Coldplay-like highs in songs like “One More Day” to create a nice balance among the 12 tracks.

Alday wrote the majority of the lyrics for the tracks. His lyrics are somewhat clich‚, as though you’ve heard them before in about 20 other songs.

While the lines aren’t very complex, the songs seem to work — intelligent in a way that screams to the audience and pulls listeners in.

This is the type of album you listen to and find yourself singing along the next time you listen to it.

Though your first thoughts will be wondering where you’ve heard this before and who it reminds you of, the music is an interesting mix of angst and reality.

— Shannon Varne

Zwan “Mary Star of the Sea” (Reprise/Warner Bros.)

Compare to: Smashing Pumpkins,A Perfect Circle, Sonic Youth

Rating: 9

Happiness and Billy Corgan had never met. They were not even acquaintances. After the Smashing Pumpkins disbanded in 2000, it seemed as if Corgan and happiness would never meet. If they did, it would be nothing but a one-night stand.

The normally melancholy and infinitely sad rock and roll monarch seemed to become lost for a time after his former band ceased to exist.

Corgan was thought to have been out of the spotlight forever, but no. With his new band Zwan, Corgan has risen and is making waves with new music and a fresh outlook on life.

It is evident from the first track, “Lyric,” that Corgan (or Billy Burke, as he calls himself now) has experienced some major changes both musically and personally. The song’s driving guitar riffs are backed not by the usual angst-driven and depressing lyrics typical of Corgan’s past accomplishments, but by a sense of overwhelming joy. It seems as if the rock and roll messiah has finally discovered true joy and peace in his life.

“I believe/ The love you talk about with me/ Is it true/ Do I care?” Corgan pleads in the first single, “Honestly,” an obviously direct statement of his newfound faith and happiness.

“Of A Broken Heart” is the album’s most melancholy song, though even it isn’t depressing. The song’s acoustic feel is upbeat but almost ruined by drummer Jimmy Chamberlin’s syncopated brush pattern on the snare drum.

One of the highlights of the album is the 14-minute epic “Jesus, I/Mary Star of the Sea,” with its sophisticated guitar lines and driving chorus. The track begins with a gospel song flavor and the opening line, “Jesus, I my cross have taken,” dies into oblivion, and eventually transitions into deep distorted guitar groans stereotypical of Corgan’s former self with the Smashing Pumpkins.

Not only is Corgan a changed man, but the new album seems very loose musically, not necessarily the case with Smashing Pumpkins. The music flows nicely, without the tenseness of Corgan’s former efforts.

It seems as if the rock and roll messiah is back from the dark, spiraling rabbit hole of drug abuse and depression, and he is here to stay.

— Dan Hopper