Those of you familiar my self-indulgent style may expect me to write this review in the voice of E.T. "Elliott! Elliott! Phone home about this album!" But I won't do that. This review won't be a fake phone conversation. I can't think of any fantasy sex episodes to spice up this review. I won't do a take- off from the homonynic similarities of the words "Emo" and "Elmo." I'm pretty bored. I blame my creative block to the thoroughly manilla new album from Elliott.

To someone who's never listened to emo-core, this is a good album. By all means, it's tight, moody, melodic, rockin'... with quiet "pretty" moments. But those who do listen to emo most likely own about six albums exactly like this by now. The songs are indistinguishable and blend together like margarine. Bit ands pieces bring to mind other albums and songs, but I can't quite remember which ones. A bit of Quicksand here... A tad of Samiam there... A pinch of Texas Is The Reason just then...

Like any niche- marketed product, if you fit the demographic, you'll cuddle it in your arms. It's like this: you Christians out there, think of those cardboard- flavored hosts you have to eat during communion. If you have faith and buy into Christianity, you get some sort of fullfilment from the "bread." If you're Jewish or Muslim you just taste a piece of stale cardboard with the aftertaste of glue. Therefore, if you think emo-core is a red Muppet (there I go) you'll find Elliott nice and tradeable; the rest of us will already have realized the record is four years too late. Sure, every sub-genre needs a crossover breakout album to take a step forward after the market has been saturated. But U.S. Songs just spins the wheels and wears the tread dangerously close to flat.

-Brent DiCrescenzo