Though the Ladies started dialing down the good-natured tongue-in-cheek on Maroon, this album marks the point where the clown mask really starts to fall off. Much of the album is a sardonic commentary on consumer culture and the Bush Administration; Steven and Ed's political observations are neither subtle nor especially poignant, and it's probably no coincidence that the songs that proselytize the most are also the ones I press skip on the most.
There's still a small handful of great songs to like here, but this album is divided very sharply between the winners, losers, and mediocre.
Try 'em, you'll probably like 'em: Celebrity, For You, Testing 1-2-3, Aluminum.
Avoid like the plague: Shopping, War on Drugs.
Alright in a pinch: Maybe Katie, Unfinished, Second Best, Take it Outside, Have You Seen My Love.
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