Elva

(Interscope)

It's been easy to lose interest in punk rock. In recent decades, the genre seems to have developed into a stale, sing-songy mess, catering to high school teens and the Abercrombie & Fitch crowd. Unfortunately, Unwritten Law's newest does little to revive the lost art of punk.

The band is a refined Blink 182 clone. As a type of music which once prided itself on raw energy and genuine violence, punk should never be "refined." And it should never, EVER be centered around lover's angst.

How can modern bands such as Green Day, Blink 182 or Unwritten Law even claim to be "punk"? The original punk music once sought to convey a message through musical violence and social commentary. Now it has become the radio whore, selling itself out to mainstream pop-rock stations.

Elva certainly gives the listener a wide variety of tunes. Some songs such as "Mean Girl" and "Hellborn" have energy but no real purpose behind them. "Geronimo" and "Rest Of My Life" are lamentations on lost love.

"Actress, model . . ." and "Seein' Red" are songs which should never have been made in the first place, having the depth and energy of a Jewel song.

After listening to Elva, one feels as if they really understand the band members. Basically, they seem to be guys who smoke a lot of pot and have bad luck with women.

The musicians in the band are talented individuals who made a good quality record. It just should not be labeled as "punk."

With the release of Elva next Tuesday, Unwritten Law gives pop-rock fans exactly what they want. Punk rock fans need to stick to their vinyl Sex Pistol LPs, though.