Popaganda

On his second outing as the frontman of Head Automatica, Glassjaw's Daryl Palumbo abandons DECADENCE's electronica sheen (and, consequently, producer Dan the Automator), opting instead for a catchy, New Wave-inspired vibe. Throughout the album, Palumbo's emotive vocals carry every guitar-heavy tune, whether it's the urgent opener, "Graduation Day," or "Curious," which takes more than a page from Elvis Costello's book. Although some Head Automatica fans maybe perplexed by the group's notable shift in direction, POPAGANDA exceeds its predecessor with a winning power-pop charm.