A retooled lineup and a revamped sound boded well for Houston-based
Inhabited. The female-fronted quintet slimmed down to a trio and landed with indie label 7 Spin Music after a short-lived tenure with Fervent Records.
Love is a step in the right direction, particularly after 2005's
Revolution failed to live up to the hype piled on it by Billboard magazine and others. The songs are still aimed at teens and full of generic lyrics; the sound, however, suits their strengths much better now. Songs like "Hush" and "Respect" show off a sassy rocker girl sound that rivals anything by
Pink or
Gwen Stefani. This works better for frontwoman Sarah Acker than the
Evanescence-like guitar assault that plagued
Revolution. Production by Monroe Jones (
Jackson Browne,
David Crosby,
Third Day) also kept the album from falling into a post-grunge trap. Overall,
Love brought this talented band more in line with their potential for pleasing teens. ~ Jared Johnson