The Machines We Are

Four Year Strong pay tribute to the '90s with this polished covers album, which features renditions of songs by Everclear, No Doubt, Nirvana, and their flannel-shirted ilk. The obvious goal here is nostalgia, a wistful sentiment that the group tries to stir up in the liner notes (which feature '90s-centric essays by the bandmates, all of whom give the decade an enthusiastic thumbs up) and the diverse track list. Tal Bachman's "She's So High" and Del Amitri's "Roll to Me" are unexpected inclusions, while the band's attention to rhythm -- a focus that results in occasional snatches of half-time, double-time, and start-and-stop measures -- helps add a unique element to the more predictable selections. Many cover albums have been better and many have been worse, but Four Year Strong Explains It All is aimed exclusively at the band's own fans, most of whom will gobble up these brash, punky odes to the late 20th century. ~ Andrew Leahey