Criteria - 'When We Break' (Saddle Creek) 29/08/05

Hailing from Omaha, a place once described as the home of middle America, Criteria have been ranked alongside the likes of All American Rejects and Cursive in that much maligned genre of music - Emo.

Led by frontman Steve Pedersen, a qualified corporate lawyer - indeed opening track 'Prevent The World' references his existence as part of the Rat Race - Criteria serve up the type of pop punk you'd associate with the likes of Fugazi and Jimmy Eat World.

However, the heavy riffs and power chords, added to Pedersen's chest-beating vocals, almost seem to be an attempt to hide the fact that 'When We Break' is all a bit of a mess, the music all over the place and the lyrics engaging in that most popular of pastimes for US rock bands - moaning.

This ultimately is the problem with most Emo bands; for every decent tune - and to be honest there are less here than you get with Jimmy Eat World, who at least throw in a few melodies from time to time - there are several that can only be described as a rich Yank whinging about a life that is probably much better than the ones most people lead.

Seth Cohen would love it.