Marah popped onto the roots-rock scene part Replacements, part Springsteen. But the band soon veered off-course by turning their backs on their limited but effective songwriting strengths. Since 2002's Float Away with the Friday Night Gods, however, brothers Dave and Serge Bielanko have been working overtime to get back on track. On Angels of Destruction, more than ever before, songs like "Old Time Tickin' Away," "Songbirds" and "Jesus in the Temple" reflect a strong British Invasion influence (even if the lyrics are more reminiscient of ornate Dylan). On other songs, such as "Santos De Madera," you can even hear the band struggling to sound like Springsteen without sounding too much like Springsteen, a tricky balancing act the band pulls off with aplomb. The epic ADD album closer, "Wilderness," underscores the group's unshakable faith in excess. Angels of Destruction is far from brilliant, but it is a welcome blast of good old-fashioned rock-and-roll fun.

-- Joshua Klein