Sugar Ray

Mark McGrath and company return from a six-year layoff with an island-friendly pina colada of sunny rock guitars and reggae bounce. Despite past critical demonization due to their status as heartthrobs in the mid '90s, Sugar Ray have always thumbed their noses at naysayers with a charming self-deprecation -- the title of the album here for starters, but also 1998's 14:59, a comment on their so-called "15 minutes of fame," being prime examples. "Boardwalk" is the single but "Rainbow" and opener "Girls Were Made to Love" will grab you right out of the gate.

These Orange County guys — known for decade-old frat-soul hits like "Fly" and "Every
Morning" — haven't gotten near the top of a pop chart since early in W.'s administration, but
on their sixth album they're still turning out pop rock so good-natured it practically gives
you a big smile and a fist-bump. Mark McGrath dispenses everydude philosophizing like "If
you wanna see the rainbow, you gotta sit through a little rain," plus tunes — like... More >