What happened to punk rock? Or even pop rock? Or just plain rock? Instead techno synth sounds have replaced it all, followed by too many vocal layers of the same person, and tacky cliche lyrics. I feel like Simple Plan used to rock a little harder than this. Simple Plan's third studio album, self-titled, is full of new, experimental songs, that probably sounded great to them, but turned out less than satisfactory to someone who remembers when they still claimed to be "Addicted" to you.

While most of the tunes are still catchy, and the lead singer's voice has definitely improved, I feel like Simple Plan lost band members-namely those who played instruments. Where did the drummer go? What's it like to be replaced by a computer? After the Beatles came out with "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" bands all over the world suddenly realised that what they made in studios didn't have to be able to be recreated live, and I think Simple Plan took a page from that book. And it seems as though they tried to keep their street cred by through in an explitive in the middle of "Your Love Is A Lie", but dropping the F-bomb didn't really help much.

Usually I'm all for a band growing and maturing, in sound, lyrics and style, but with "Simple Plan" it seems as though the group grew in the wrong direction. The pop-techno sound is big in Europe, and Asia, but generally here in the States we need more substance and proof that a band can rock.

But the album isn't all bad, in fact "I Can Wait Forever" is a beatiful song, lead by a piano and with a tune that makes you believe the singer is really in love. "Save You" is also a touching song written by the lead singer for his brother who was suffering with cancer, and for anyone who has had to deal with a situation out of their hands, this song rings true. But it's songs like "What If", "Generation" and "The End" that made me cringe and wonder what the band was thinking.