Sum 41 — Underclass Hero

Sum 41 were flying high after the release of their 2004 album, Chuck. The hard-hitting sound they'd refined on that LP and 2002's Does This Look Infected? gave the band more leverage in the hard rock community, distancing themselves from the sugar-coated pop-punk they'd showcased on their first two LPs. With their fifth album, and first without guitarist Dave "Brownsound" Baksh, the remaining three Sums go for a far poppier sound than ever before. Produced by frontman Deryck Whibley, Underclass Hero rarely goes outside of its pop confines, choosing big choruses and singalong hooks over the riffage of their last two records. Devoid of Baksh's rock solid backbone, the songs flicker, but never fully ignite, and Mr. Avril Lavigne's lukewarm melodies aren't enough to keep the fire burning. He's as strong as he's ever been on the French-spoken, Queen-inspired "Ma Poubelle," and the title track has the same bouncy feeling their earliest singles did, but he simply can't carry the record on his own. If this is a sign of softer outings to come, Sum fans should start worrying.

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