We all love a good underdog story, so it's hard not to root for Addison Road. The Dallas-based band has been working the indie circuit since 2001 before finally signing a record deal with INO—a tribute to the power of perseverance. After three independent albums and a slew of tour dates to their credit, the expectations are high for "the little band that could" now that they have a bigger budget and better production values. All the ingredients are here—standout vocals from frontwoman Jenny Simmons, radio-friendly pop hooks, meaningful lyrics for teens and young adults. Yet there's still something lacking about this self-titled effort.

Instead of favoring the more experimental musical palette of albums past (see 2005's Always Loved You EP), the band opts for a conventional pop/rock sound that doesn't distinguish Addison Road from its peers. Someone could have told me that mid-tempo opening track "This Could Be Our Day" was the latest Superchic[k] single, and I would have been none the wiser. That ho-hum first impression thankfully improves with the band's first single, "All That Matters," a sassy rally cry against our appearance-obsessed society. Much like Gavin DeGraw's breakout hit "I Don't Want to Be," Simmons confidently sings the praises of a life that goes against the grain by living according to Christ's teachings.

Unfortunately that welcome burst of energy doesn't last long once the faux-rock anthem "Sticking With You" kicks into gear. Filled with one yawn-worthy cliché after the next, the song is in desperate need of an extreme makeover—lyrically and otherwise. Despite counter-cultural (albeit predictable) musings in "Casualties" and "It Just Takes One" later on, Addison Road plays it much too safe to really make much of a memorable impact. Instead of embracing the scrappy and creative underdog spirit of a band who's fought so hard to make it, Addison Road takes the well-traveled road, making their debut just another so-so effort with a positive message. They're capable of much more than this.

© Christa Banister, subject to licensing agreement with Christianity Today International. All rights reserved. Click for reprint information.

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