Alright, kids, it's time for some personal redemption. Back in '97, when I was madly frothing out one review every day for you, insatiable Pitchfork reader, the Smoking Popes' Destination Failure came across my busy desk. I wrote a review for a likable album, and moved on. The restless life of a music reviewer, y'see.

The two most unpleasant things about writing music reviews are as follows: you write a review bashing the shit out of an album you later come to love and respect, or, conversely, you write a good review for an album you later realize sucks. In the case of Destination Failure, I did neither of these things. Yet, for the past two years, listening to the album over thousands of miles of road trips, on headphones at work, and while I shagged my teddy bear Fred, there was always a tiny voice saying, "You should have said better things about it, James." I am here to tell you now that Destination Failure is one a'those albums that has a knack for finding its way into your disc player, despite any half- assed resistance. It's a great pop-punk album filled with heartbroken lyrics and a sense of smooth continuity that sets it apart from its peers.

But, this review is not about Destination Falure, it's about the Popes' latest effort, Born to Quit. I have the unique task today of reviewing a band's big- label freshman release after having listened to their fantabulous sophomore effort for a good long time. Oh! What a feeling!

Born to Quit delivers exactly what one might expect. Though it's not nearly as smooth and intuitive as their follow-up, Born to Quit is an assembly of tracks that suggest the potential fully realized on Destination Failure. Lead vocalist Josh Caterer sounds fantastic here, but the mixing leaves something to be desired. However, after listening to the Popes' two records in their entirety, I've come to understand Morrissey's enthusiastic endorsement of the band (which is surely encouraged by the smattering of Smiths'- style lyrical moments and instrumental parallels).

Sadly, Born To Quit the finesse and shmooze that they managed so well on Destination Failure It's a shame, too, considering that they've reportedly broken up, leaving behind a total of three records, a handful of obscure promos, and a legacy no sane pop-punk fan could forget. Sigh.

-James P. Wisdom