Chances are, by now you've already formed an opinion on Denver's hip-hop/rock fusion outfit, Flobots. These precocious indy-rap artists have created a nationwide stir with their break-out single "Handlebars," in spite (or more likely because) of commercial radio's best effort to cram them sideways up the ass of every man, woman, and child in America. So the question remains, will Flobots become the new Eminem, revitalizing the increasingly stale arena of commercial hip-hop and making it even more accessible to suburban white kids? Or are they just another Limp Bizcuit, a flash-in-the-pan band of dilettantes-the punch-line to next year's joke?

There are definitely better rappers out there. Vocal duties are split-- not quite evenly-- between dual emcees, Brer Rabbit and jonny 5. While jonny 5's voice is predominant throughout the album, Brer Rabbit is, to my ear, far more talented. His rhymes are more intricate and he's capable of faster, more fluid delivery. Their lyrics are fairly heavy on substance (more on this later), but in need, perhaps of a little more stylistic refinement. They manage a regular rhythm but lack the crucial ability to turn a phrase or blindside the listener with an unexpected metaphor. The few attempts they make at punning on such pop-culture references as "The Chappelle Show" and Wu-Tang Clan tend to fall flat for lack of imagination. More interesting is the Flobots choice of a backing band, including, not just the traditional rock triad of guitar-bass-drums, but also a trumpet, violin, and occasionally a cello. Hard-rock/hip-hop amalgamations have been done to death, but how many hip-hop acts (or rock acts, for that matter) write songs that boast violin solos? It brings a touch of freshness to a genre whose most visible proponents in the past have been such musical geniuses as Fred Durst and the Insane Clown Posse.

Despite the band's obvious shortcomings, there's a quality to the Flobots that I can't help but appreciate. Those familiar with "Handlebars" (and unless you've been locked in a sensory deprivation chamber for the past month-and-a-half, I'm not sure how you couldn't be) will have a good window into their potential. Drawing a chilling comparison between the innocent, childish bravado that leads kids to cry out "Look, Mom, no hands," and the almost suicidal impulse of the adult world that seems bent on forging ahead, discovering, and conquering, regardless of the cost or potential consequences--that's a fairly brilliant lyrical move. When jonny 5 raps "I can take apart the remote control, and I can almost put it back together," you get the sense that we're all just children meddling with things beyond our grasp, a frightening thought in a world of global hunger, nuclear proliferation, and germ warfare.

The most distinct tracks occur early on, "Mayday" is a roller-coaster ride of shifting tempos, and the anthemic title track will surely bring clubs to their feet. The latter half of the CD sags a little as the band explores more straight-ahead rock structures on tracks like "Combat" and "The Rhythm Method," although "Rise," with it's simple three-chord guitar line and ethereal violin strumming does provide a late-album treat.

Personally, I wish the Flobots luck. They're going to have a hard time weathering the media blitz and avoiding the inevitable backlash that consumed other flavor-of-the-month darlings like The Strokes and The Arctic Monkeys. They're not exactly the sound of the new revolution, but they're a socially conscious group of individuals making music with the intention to raise awareness, open political discussion, and foster a greater respect for women among the hip-hop community. The chorus to "Stand Up" sums up everything I like about this band: "Stand up/We shall not be moved/Except by a child with no socks and shoes/If you got more to give then you got to prove/Put your hands up, and I'll copy you." If this is what the kids are listening to these days, I say we could do a lot worse.