Every Man for Himself (by Hoobastank, Rock)

Close your eyes and hold the insert to Hoobastank's EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF CD in one hand. Without looking, open to any random page and point to the song lyrics with your other hand. OK, now look. Whether it's "I stand before a road that will lead into the unknown, at least unknown to me," "You seem to find the dark when everything is bright/you look for all that's wrong instead of all that's right," or "I am not the next of them, I am the first of me," you are just about guaranteed a dose of bad poetry, or at least a tried-and-true rock & roll cliché. If This Is Spinal Tap were remade for this generation of rock fans, the producers could do far worse than to employ the members of Hoobastank to write the music.

Bloated and self-indulgent to the point of absurdity, Every Man for Himself offers promising emo-indie-pop parody opportunities galore. The CD also offers some catchy hooks and fine performances. Hoobatank's third studio album is slick and polished; Howard Benson's heavy-handed production vision includes strings, accordions, horns, disco beats, and acoustic guitar tracks. The band members come through with sincere, accomplished playing and singing. The result is a more varied and ambitious product than previous albums might lead us to expect.

Released on: May 16, 2006
Label: Island
Genre: Rock