SouthFM's debut is the sort of alternative rock that had by 2003 become rather mainstream. Paco Estrada sings in a muted anguish to suit the uneasy, dam-of-gloom-about-to-break tone of much of the material, and the group's incessant whisper-to-a-scream sort of transitions are the kind in which reserved guitar work becomes louder, heavier, and more thundering to build to crescendos before ebbing back for quieter passages. Their heart's in the right place for those dissatisfied with the status quo, with jabs against "Corporate White America" and (in "Brick Layers") people hiding in their perfect little houses. There are also some touches of more acoustic-flavored delicacy, particularly on "Driving." ~ Richie Unterberger