It’s almost hard to believe that the Gin Blossoms were a major force in music. Ten years removed from their last album, they are remembered as little more than the harmless 90s adult alternative rock that you hear in the background of a party. While their new release Major Lodge Victory might not enlarge the stamp on musical history, it fits well into the mold of nice, forgettable pop.

The album’s opener, “Learning the Hard Way,” takes you right back to the mid-90s - its sweet harmonies and janglepop rhythm make it as if the Blossoms never went away. Ditto with the follower, “Come Down Hard,” packed with their signature, radio-ready sound. “Long Time Gone” and “Fool for the Taking,” co-written with Rembrandts founder Danny Wilde, are fresh despite their familiar beats and lyrics that are just a bit too cute.

The majority of the rest of the album echoes the fun, breezy vibe, but with less substance. “Let’s Play Two” is a wasted effort to encapsulate the Blossoms’ summery sound in a baseball setting and “Heart Shaped Locket,” while commendable for its emotion, seems more suitable stuck in the 90s than bringing the pop sound up to date. Fans of the Gin Blossoms’ other albums will rejoice in hearing the sound structured in new songs; the rest of us will simply enjoy it as it plays in the background, then forget it as soon as it’s over.

Rating: * * * of 5

Trackback This Post | Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed