Overall Grade: 4.08 (out of 5)

Best Alternative/Pop Rock album of 2006. The first song I heard from the album was "Los Angeles", which happened to be the free iTunes download of the week. Hearing the song only once, I was hooked. I played it for a friend, and he was hooked. I bought the album the week it came out, put it in my CD player, and it didn't come out for over a week.

This being the third major record from Sugarcult, it is by far the band's best album. Musically, the drums have that pop sound that you can tap your foot to, slap your hands on the steering wheel while you are driving, or catch yourself swaying your head up and down to. Every track is very catchy and hooks you in musically.

The album is titled "Lights Out", referencing the album's overall theme, according to lead singer Tim Pagnotta, about one night stands and living life in Southern California. But don't jump to the conclusion that all the songs are immature smutty songs about having random sex – they are anything but that. You can hear Pagnotta's enjoyment, indecisiveness, and sometimes struggle with the mentioned lifestyle on each track. Take "Los Angeles" for example: "…I want to fuck, fuck, fuck this up…want to feel, feel, feel you up – in the heat of Los Angeles." Take that and now go to "..crushed – painful as it sounds. Motors tightly wound. Pull the covers, pull my covers, to uncover – lust. Deadly when she frowns…silent in the crowd…will she ever, can she ever, see you've made a mistake" from "Made A Mistake". The lyrics cover everything.

The best short line or phrase of the year comes from the song "Hiatus". Short and simple: "Love…wasted on the young."

This album is one of my top albums of 2006. Musically, lyrically, plain old fun songs, or deep serious tunes, its all here. This is a must have – go pick it up right now!