The Poster Children have been perhaps the most reliable college band of the '90s. They haven't made a pandering sellout record. They haven't threatened breakup. They haven't moved away from the college town (Champaign, Illinois) where they started. And they haven't made a bad album, ever.

The college indie rock crowd may expect big things from the Poster Children on their latest record because of their recent reassignment to the indie ranks (they left Reprise for SpinArt last year). But the truth is that even when they wore a corporate suit, their spirits were independent. They stay that way on New World Record, their first self- produced, home- recorded album.

As always, there are new dimensions that keep the band from rehashing the same fast chords and blistering rhythms. The record opens with the shuffling drums and guitars of "Accident Waiting to Happen" before Jim Valentin's happily ascerbic vocals and the band's trademark coffee buzz sound kicks in on guitar. Feedback hangs around "Time to Kill" like a tie-die tapestry. Vintage new wave keyboards and monotone vocals bolster the indie harmonies of "Ankh," giving the band a momentary resemblance to the late, great Brainiac.

These are almost all of precious few extras thrown into New World Record. Maybe the Poster Children were intentionally trying to make their self- produced debut what people would expect from a home- recorded album, or maybe they just ran out of money. Whatever the reason, the spare, live quality makes this effort the most visceral Poster Children album since Daisy Chain Reaction. It doesn't sound literally live (as engineer Steve Albini made Daisy Chain Reaction sound), it just sounds more true to the band's live spirit than anything from the band's Reprise years.

On the other hand, though there are a few competitors for anthem status-- the sheer volume of "6x6" and the light- through- stained- glass guitars of "Deadman"-- few of the tracks here can match the power and persuasion of "Junior Citizen" and "He's My Star" from the Reprise years (live videos of both are included in a CD-ROM package, which also includes a video game that simulates touring).

It's not for lack of trying-- the Poster Children have made easy work of cutting unique new songs using their routine, trademark structure. And though every song sounds familiar, you can rest assured that there's no ground on New World Record that the Poster Children have already covered.

-Shan Fowler