Simple Plan [ tickets ] is just waiting for you to say "sophomore jinx." With a title like "Still Not Getting Any…," it's obvious the self-deprecation is intact, but actually, that's where it ends.

The energetic "Shut Up!: leads off in rather defiant fashion: "Get out of my way/you'll never stop me/nothing you say will ever bring me down." Presumably this is a middle finger to the folks who don't want to call the quintet--vocalist Pierre Bouvier, drummer Chuck Comeau, bassist David Desrosiers, and guitarists Sebastian Lefebvre and Jeff Stinco--punks.

Musically, this is "punk" in a Blink 182/Sum 41 sort of way. Melodies (see "Welcome to My Life," "Thank You" and "Crazy") and introspective lyrics are good for sales, as the multi-platinum status of their debut, "No Pads, No Helmet…Just Balls" would attest.

Fans of "Balls" should enjoy the new record, but there's one rather interesting twist: the band tapped Bob Rock (Metallica's "Black Album") to produce, who--for better or worse--takes the garage out and makes everything arena big.