Blink-182 [ tickets ]
"Take Off Your Pants and Jacket" (MCA)

Blink-182 has built an empire of pop-punk based on tattoos, bathroom humor and public nudity, and the aptly titled �Take Off Your Pants and Jacket� breaks no new ground. While songs like �The Rock Show� and �Reckless Abandon� mix crackling fills and breaks with high-energy riffs, Mark Hoppus' and Tom DeLonge's vocal styles haven�t changed since day one--the guys sound like they could hang with the Vienna Boys Choir. But tracks like �Anthem Part II� and �First Date� have less vocal diversity than the alphabet song. High on boyish charm and low on moral fiber, Blink's songs have all the lyrical depth of a whoopee cushion. Themes include sex, school, malls, drinking, puking and defecation. If you�re in the mood to down a six-pack of Red Bull and streak the campus with an armful of water balloons, this should be your soundtrack.
--Jack Morris, boston.citysearch.com

Mandy Moore [ tickets ]
"Mandy Moore" (Epic)

Since the release of her 1999 debut "So Real"--not to mention that album's 2000 "special edition" reissue, "I Wanna Be With You"--Mandy Moore has been pigeonholed into the "teen pop" category. Now, with the forthcoming "Mandy Moore," the 17-year-old seems destined to remain so classified, despite efforts by producer Emilio Estefan and songwriters Jon Secada and Diane Warren. "Mandy Moore" is rife with references to crushes and love at first sight. "One Sided Love" tells the story of a girl who needs more "tender loving care," while in "17," Moore blames spontaneity on her young age. Some songs mean well, but come across as comical, such as "Saturate Me" ("my soul is evaporating/won't you saturate me/won't you saturate me/rain down on me/with life"). Warren's ballad "I Learned What Love Is," which blends techno and acoustic sounds, is one of the stand-out tracks on "Mandy Moore." But there's nothing on this album quite like the guilty pleasure of "Candy," her textbook pop number from "So Real."
--Christina Fuoco, livedaily.com

Travis [ tickets ]
"The Invisible Band" (Epic)

Casual listeners who claimed that Travis dog-paddled in a sea of self-pity on its billowy gray 1999 masterpiece, "The Man Who," might accuse the Scottish foursome of seeing the world through rosy specs on "The Invisible Band." An understandable assertion, if not quite true. "The Invisible Band" does reflect the sun-dappled vibe of its Los Angeles recording sessions, but its touchy-feely lyrics maintain the brooding undercurrent that runs beneath the bulk of the band�s catalogue. Frontman Fran Healey sounds trapped in the otherwise gilded "The Cage," and crestfallen on the plush "Pipe Dreams." Throughout, Nigel Godrich�s steel-tight production showcases Travis� genius for shimmering acoustic rock. Proof of its pop appeal? After listening to the standout track, the soaring, banjo-scribbled rocker "Sing," you will find yourself "sing, sing, sing"-ing its chorus all day long.
--Scott Henkemeyer, twincities.citysearch.com

Rufus Wainwright
"Poses" (Dreamworks)

Rufus Wainwright�s second album, "Poses," finds the singer-songwriter breaking up the marriage of classical piano and mood rock that permeated his self-titled debut. Part torch song, part Broadway, part cabaret, "Poses" is as theatrical as its animated creator is in performance. On the lead track, "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk," Wainwright's claim of being "a little bit heiress, a little bit Irish" punctuates his Cole Porteresque sensibilities, while "One Man Guy" (written by his father Loudon Wainwright) becomes a rollicking, queer-ily intriguing anthem. Singing songs about a cast of characters, Wainwright introduces us to a Greek adonis, a street hustler, a rebel prince, and other colorful consorts. Produced by Peter Marchand and featuring Wainwright's sister Martha Wainwright on guest vocals, the series of vignettes on "Poses" flies in the face of hit-singledom. At its finale, Wainwright's reprise of the first track brings this musical narrative to a close and leaves the listener waiting for an encore.
--James Wevley, austin.citysearch.com

The Webb Brothers
"Maroon" (Atlantic)

Chicago-based brothers Christiaan and Justin Webb, sons of legendary tunesmith Jimmy Webb ("Wichita Lineman," "MacArthur Park"), have crafted a highly dramatic pop-rock odyssey. "Summer People" combines the arrangement sophistication of XTC, the melodic genius of Joe Jackson (complete with unison guitar-glockenspiel countermelody), the rocking abandon of the Who and the insidious hookiness of the Village People into one, hit-destined packet. "Marooned," the (almost) title track, employs clever electronic atmospherics in an arena-style power ballad reminiscent of early Queen. The album's overall sensibility is one of not taking itself too seriously, and that sensibility is reflected best on "Suddenly Awake," which uses background vocals that mimic those on the Turtles� classic "So Happy Together" to underscore lyrics about being very unhappy, together. The brothers Webb carry their father's name proudly into the 21st century.
--Don Harvey, austin.citysearch.com

Previous Spin Cycles:

May 31: Tool, Radiohead, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Ron Sexsmith, Mark Eitzel

May 10: Destiny's Child, The Black Crowes, Depeche Mode, Robert Cray Band, Mark Lanegan

April 26: Janet Jackson, Tim McGraw, Kirsty MacColl, Alejandro Escovedo, Red House Painters

April 12: Run-DMC, Creeper Lagoon, The Cash Brothers, MJ Cole and Los Hombres Calientes

Have a comment or question? Send a message to the Spin Cycle editor: Don Harvey.