Puppet Strings

Where Fuel's last album, 2007's Angels & Devils, found the band soldiering on in the absence of singer Brett Scallions, their fifth effort, Puppet Strings is a reversal of that idea, with Scallions re-forming the band with a whole new supporting cast. Despite not sharing any members with that previous lineup, however, Fuel seem to have kept on the same trajectory, exploring a more plaintive sound. With Scallions back at the helm, Puppet Strings feels like the album that their previous effort should have been, and with such a solid return, longtime fans should welcome the singer back like a returning hero. ~ Gregory Heaney