Puddle Of Mudd - Come Clean

Possessing a likable, arena-rock amalgamation of grunge, alternative, and nu metal, Kansas City's Puddle of Mudd are at once emotional and straight-ahead. Indeed, their no-frills lineup puts one in mind of a less uptight Creed. Singer Wesley Reid Scantlin possesses an Eddie Vedder earnestness that on hard-hitting tunes like "Nobody Told Me" takes on a Cobain-like urgency. Ranging from acoustic-based yet lush midtempo rockers such as "Drift and Die" to the gimmicky fun of "She Hates Me" to the edgy Nirvana-esque "Bring Me Down" to the dynamic and direct "Control," the 11-song-strong Come Clean is an assured, accomplished, and varied debut likely to resonate with rock fans of many tastes and temperaments. Katherine Turman