One this album, M.I.A. adopts more of a SoCal melodic punk approach (which is good), but grafts it onto the slick style of their last LP. “Beautiful World” is strong, and their cover of “California Dreaming” engaging, but this LP is not up to the standard of what used to be one of the best bands going.
Sad but true, a once great band has drifted towards the wimp side. Ten glamor-pop-punk songs are drastically different from any of the band’s previous material. I hate to say it, but this album is a real let-down!! It would be interesting to see how the band would pull these cheesy songs off live. No longer “Music In Action”—now it’s music in limbo!
When I first heard this, I was a bit disappointed, but after only a couple more listens, those distinctive MIA characteristics clearly emerged—a tight, powerful instrumental attack, hooks galore, flashes of hot guitar work (especially on “Used to Know Me”), plaintive, evocative lead singing, intelligent themes, and some haunting background vocals (in “Modern Way” and “Boredom Is the Reason”). So you’d be a jerk not to go out and buy it, you know?
