Nearly three and a half years removed from their sophomore album, the platinum-certified Still Not Getting Any…, Simple Plan has returned from their sabbatical with a brand new self-titled CD. It’s evident upon first listen that while they’ve opted for the glossy production of a major-label band, they still have the songwriting skills of cavemen. Unfortunately for our now-damaged ears, the overdone production doesn’t distort the abominably dull lyrics enough to offer any comfort.

The social commentary (no, really) from Simple Plan begins with the opener and lead single, “When I’m Gone,” while introducing us to a main talking point about the new album. Frontman Pierre Bouvier’s vocals, previously one step above nails on a chalkboard have lost most of its grating whine, and instead dropped him in the middle of every other average pop-rock singer with little to no range. Nonetheless, the band yearns for acceptance with a vast array of mid-tempo ballads and slow songs that will totally undershoot their target audience. Frankly, it doesn’t even sound like they’re trying half of the time. “The End” amounts to nothing more than a crappy b-side from The Higher’s newest album; heavy on distortion, little on substance. As Bouvier begs and pleads for the subject of the song to stay and croons, “You know it’s not the end,” the listener begins to wish it was.