Grade: B-
Pop-punk isn’t dead, and neither is The Lawrence Arms. After an eight year hiatus, the trio has returned with its sixth studio album “Metropole.” All the energy of “Oh! Calcutta!” is present on this album, though vocalist Chris McCaughan has opted to replace his urgent screaming with more wistful crooning. The lyrics convey the burden of aging and urban disillusionment — a strange but not unwelcome departure from the coke-fueled rage of the band’s earlier efforts. Guitar rhythms are more complex, and songs have more musical variety than anything the trio has produced in the past. Sometimes, though, McCaughan screams or throws in a swear word where it simply doesn’t belong, and the result is closer to try-hard dad rock than vitriolic punk. The album will definitely satisfy old fans, though it doesn’t do anything exciting enough to make any new ones.