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The Boston quintet After the Sirens' follow-up to their 2005 EP We Have No White Flags is a solid effort of MTV-defined punk rock. However, unlike most groups in this 'poppy-punk emo' genre, vocalist Ryan Heidorn is legitimately reserved, giving the impression that he is constantly on the edge of breaking down - rather than on the edge of promoting a new ring tone. Opening with an introduction to the standout "We Buy Jewelry When the Love Runs Out," a lo-fi loop crackles behind Heidorn's soft crooning. The band soon jumps into their familiar sound, lead by Jason Lefever's pounding percussion. The slick production features a near-constant wall of guitars, even during the quieter portions of the album. There are a few moments where the band is able to stray from their formula, such as in "Oh, For Eyes of Glass," where they delve into a post-punk riff. In "Prayers as Donations," one of the highlights of the album, Heidorn contemplates white middle-class guilt. He yells, "A long time ago, we paved our cities over bones. We made cadavers into roads." The pensive "Instead of Beauty, Branding" features the juxtaposition of Heidorn's daydreamish crooning and the stark realism of the expectations of relationships that only exist "on paper and maybe film." There is an obvious sense spirituality throughout the album, lyrically - something that is nearly covered up by the soundtrack that would normally focus strictly on high school breakups. Yet, there is a lingering sense of uncertainty and confusion behind his lyrics, such as "I used to speak in the tongues of angels, all I ever say now is goodbye" in "Seives and Seizures." This sense of uncertainty makes for a much more interesting listen than the usual fare of relationship problems found in the newest incarnation of punk rock. There isn't anything truly groundbreaking about this in What I Have to Give, Let It Be Enough, but After the Sirens are certainly moving in the right direction.

After the Sirens at Amazon & Insound