Forget And Not Slow Down

Relient K's sixth studio album (and first with Mono Vs Stereo and Jive Records) represents the veteran alternative CCM outfit's official entry in the insufferable/cathartic (depending on where the listener is in his/her lives) "breakup album" category. Unsurprisingly, lead singer and songwriter Matt Thiessen's take on heartbreak is a genuinely hopeful one, a stance achieved by submitting to complete isolation in a remote Tennessee lake house during Forget and Not Slow Down's creation. Thiessen's penchant for machine-gun-fired torrents of both secular and non-secular self-discovery on top of impossibly catchy melodies makes for a remarkably upbeat listen, and the band's efficient, late-'90s alternative rock delivery feels far less stale than bands with a similar feel. That's not to say that its' all Matchbox 20 and Foo Fighters, as Relient K can deal out a jangle pop ("Candlelight") or adult alternative pop/rock ("Over It") gem when called for, but there's a certain fireplace familiarity to the whole affair (think Ben Folds without the snarky bits) that makes it all go down easy, despite the obvious emotional turmoil that spawned it. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide