What's the difference between soft rock and pop punk? About a thousand paces…A Hero From a Thousand Paces, that is.

If you listen to Hero's debut album "Mistakes," you'll understand what I mean. The upbeat keyboard riffs and high-pitched vocal harmonies float above a finely tuned rhythm section and dueling guitars, all of which will have you secretly singing along to one of the many infectious hooks during your next bathtub karaoke session. And with lyrics like "Say that you're safe / Tell me that you're all right / Come on now / Slip inside embracing arms tonight," feel free to crank this album up at your little sister's sweet sixteen party. Your parents probably rocked out to Journey back in the day, so they won't mind at all.

What I'm trying to say is that these guys are good at composing bouncing pop songs about love lost, love conquered, and love rejected, but it's nothing that we haven't heard before. So if factory torn jeans, long hair, and crooning are your thing, buy this album. You'll love it. If you want something refreshing and meaningful, then let this one pass and keep on waiting.