CD Review – Simple Plan

In Quebec in Canada in 1995 some friends came together and formed a band called Reset. Four years later the band evolved into Simple Plan and three years after that in 2002 they released their debut album, the classily titled “No Pads, No Helmets…Just Balls”. The success of this album led to two more, the latest of which being this self titled release.

For fans of the first two albums this picks up where they have left off ploughing their now familiar furrow of pop rock. For the uninitiated Simple Plan sound like a Canadian McFly or The Fray-light and believe me, that is light. Pierre Bouvier has that typical inoffensive middle-American “rock” voice that is impossible to pick out from the crowd. His delivery is bland and ensures that the hairs on the back of your neck remain seated. Unfortunately for Simple Plan the standout track on the album is the opener, “When I’m Gone”. It begins with a reggae flavoured keyboard before a pleasant thumping drum arrives and soon your head is nodding its’ answer. So far, so good. Then track two, “Take My Hand”, comes and goes – strike one. Unfortunately strikes two and three arrive straight after and it’s hard not to give up there and then.

However, there are some surprises to be found across the rest of the eleven angst heavy songs. Apart from the ballad “I Can’t Wait Forever” (my toes may never uncurl) there are some half decent soft rock moments. It’s very definitely background music but that’s okay, sometimes the background needs a little music. I can imagine a lot of these songs in a teen romance/coming of age movie. There is nothing complicated here, it’s all very standard but at least there is a slight attempt at individuality with the synths weaving in and out of the guitar sound. The lyrics are the kind of thing you might find on the back of any 14 year-olds’ copybook. “Hey oh let’s go it’s going down tonight. Hey oh let’s go we’re gonna do it ‘til we die. Cause I’ve got no reason to apologise. That’s my generation, don’t need to say I’m sorry.” - this was written by band members now nearing 30 years of age.

In saying that, at least they do write their own songs, play their own instruments and produce some moderately catchy pop rock. If you have a 13 year-old daughter and you want to be a cool parent, buy her this.