Welsh sextet
Lostprophets return with their sophomore effort, the ambitious
Start Something. Riffing on the road map set in place by
Linkin Park and
Incubus,
Lostprophets produce something that's ostensibly metal, but layered with electronica tweaks, production sheen, and an ever-vigilant ear for radio-friendly hooks. To that end, lead single "Last Train Home" is an unstoppable slice of post-grunge empowerment, guided by a thousand-foot chorus suggestive of the
A.F.I. nugget "Girls Not Grey." Other highlights include the more aggressive "Burn, Burn," as well as the unsheathed switchblade of an opener, "We Still Kill the Old Way."
Lostprophets might have over-smoothed the rough patches of their debut with this mainstream-ready second effort. But that same studio gloss means
Start Something should appeal mightily to fans more into nu-metal for fast and furious pop and gadgetry (think
Linkin Park's
Meteora) than the guttural groans and anger management seminars of the bald singer contingent. ~ Johnny Loftus