Released on 21/02/05
Label: Atlantic

Across the pond there’s a thriving sub-culture of power-pop, radio friendly rock lite – whatever you want to call it – that services anger teenagers, the mildly disaffected youth and executives compiling "Dawson's Creek" soundtracks. Imagine a bunch of wholesome bands like Busted with unisex appeal. Check out the bottom of the Reading Festival bill and you’ll usually find at least one or two prime examples.

Montreal’s Simple Plan are one of the genre's chief exponents and practically old-hands despite looking barely old enough to drive. They get by with power chords, generic profanity free lyrics - “So shut up, shut up, shut up/Don't wanna hear it/Get out, get out, get out/Get out of my way” - and snappy songs about finding it hard in the world.

This is formulaic stuff and something that’s never really likely to trouble these shores. A cunningly flawed plan.

    by Chris Heath