I remember Mrs. Johnson, our buck- toothed librarian, coming in on the first day of elementary school and telling us, "You can't judge a book by its cover." It's a safe bet that Mrs. Johnson has never met Pat DiNizio, but her words couldn't hold more weight.

The former frontman of the Smithereens, DiNizio looks to be making a break from his alt- rock past. From the album's cover design down to the liner notes, Songs and Sounds has the feel of an old Blue Note release. DiNizio even goes so far as to dub his backing band "The Pat DiNizio Four."

But despite all DiNizio's couchings, Songs and Sounds is essentially just another Smithereens album. The growling guitars, pounding drums, and marginal chord changes remain, as well as the 1950s harmonies. DiNizio's voice hasn't changed a bit either, retaining its Elvis Costello- with- a- deviated- septum tone.

Very few songs dare to be different: the lead track, "Where I Am Going," is a sprawling stroll devoid of rhythm or melody, "Liza" is a lullaby that sounds way too hard to fall asleep to, and "I'd Rather Have the Blues" is a Burt Bacharach- inspired torch song for spurned lovers.

While the Smithereens are on hiatus, DiNizio appears content to continue cranking out the music. And with or without that band behind him, DiNizio's Songs remain the same.

-Lang Whitaker