Safetysuit: These Times

This alterna-rock band from the Midwest has returned with their long-delayed second album. The album has already become a success, debuting at number seven and launching a hit single with the title track. The album was crafted by the band with help from Howard Benson, pop producer Espionage and OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder. Unfortunately, they seemed to have forgotten to write any worthwhile songs. Aside from the title track, which is a perfect, straight pop song for 2012, almost every other song seems like it’s the kind of pandering that’s all over the radio right now. The band seems like they are puppets being manipulated by corporate strings. The biggest offense is “Let Go”, co-written by Tedder. Here, they barely sound like a rock band at all and that’s a damn shame. This could’ve been a much better album, but seemingly because of corporate handling, it got screwed up.