Amplifier

A surprising development from this band, which has now blossomed into a quintet. There is less evidence of the roots-rock that influenced their earlier albums, but the songs are more intelligent, well-played, and interesting than anything the band has done before. The production in particular is noticeably improved, from the straightforward sound of the first two albums to the complex arrangements that really serve the songs well on this outing. Wiggins has improved greatly as a songwriter, both lyrically and stylistically, and gives his band great material to show off their abilities. The first ten songs include enough rockers, pop songs and ballads to please any BTR fan, all of which seem thoughfully produced and arranged, but they don't end there. After a lengthy spoken thanks and credits section (which most of us will program off our CDs after listening to it once), the band includes four songs which sound like nothing more than a garage band blowing off steam — in other words, BTR shows that it still knows how to have a great time and produce an enjoyable listening experience. A very promising album that demonstrates BTR's willingness to grow as a band.