Never Take Friendship Personal

Never Take Friendship Personal, by Amberlin (Tooth and Nail Records). Modern rock.

While its songs and sing-along hooks often satisfy, Personal meanders on a formulaic plateau. Moments here show musical and spiritual passion: "(the symphony of the) blase" is a steely, key-of-C ballad that suggests some exotic hybrid of The Cure and Toad the Wet Sprocket. Yet too much of the disc opts for a loud, driving approach. This is most evident on "dance, dance Christina Paffgen," a song that clocks in at an epic 7:09, but lacks the drama or dynamics to justify its length.

COPYRIGHT 2005 The Christian Century Foundation
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning