Simple Plan's second original CD, "Still Not Getting Any . . . " gives its legion of fans no letdown after the long wait for the second CD. If anything, it is an improvement on the first.

Fans at their shows have already been introduced to "Welcome to My Life" and "Shut Up!", both good, catchy songs just packed with the adolescent angst that is SP's trademark. "Shut Up!" in particular, shows the band's knack for combining downbeat lyrics with upbeat tunes, in a song which I interpret as a teenager's thoughts while being lectured by his parents.

Something's changed a bit from the first CD, and that's the band's perspective. Many of the songs on "No Pads, No Helmets, . . . Just Balls" had the perspective of a teen complaining about a poor relationship with a parent. There's still a bit of that in songs like "Me Against The World" and "Shut Up!", but this time, more songs talk about a romantic relationship gone bad (for example, "Perfect World", "Everytime" and "Thank You"), and the perspective is more young adult than teenager--"Everytime" talks about the partner waking the singer at 3 a.m. and driving to dawn--not likely if still living at home. The band's characters are maturing, as is their music.

Other notable songs include "Crazy", a throwback to Reset's (the predecessor band to Simple Plan) socially-conscious songs, and "Jump", plainly intended as a concert song but very strong in its own right.

Perhaps the strongest song on the CD is "Untitled", a downbeat song with downbeat music, the dying thought of someone who doesn't know why he's dying, and despite the people around him, is dying utterly alone. The sadness which runs through many of the band's works is here in full strength. Softer than usual and using a piano (shades of "Meet You There" on the first CD), even if never released as a single, it may well be the band's best song to date.

While lead singer Pierre Bouvier did almost all the singing on the first CD, much more is heard from backup singers Sebastien Lefebvre and David Derosiers do a lot more of the singing here, and they are well worth listening to.

Extras on the DVD or flip side (depending on edition) include the video for "Welcome to My Life" and the program (shown, I believe, on MTV) about its making.

Highly, highly recommended.

Simple Plan's second original CD, "Still Not Getting Any . . . " gives its legion of fans no letdown after the long wait for the second CD. If anything, it is an improvement on the first.

Fans at their shows have already been introduced to "Welcome to My Life" and "Shut Up!", both good, catchy songs just packed with the adolescent angst that is SP's trademark. "Shut Up!" in particular, shows the band's knack for combining downbeat lyrics with upbeat tunes, in a song which I interpret as a teenager's thoughts while being lectured by his parents.

Something's changed a bit from the first CD, and that's the band's perspective. Many of the songs on "No Pads, No Helmets, . . . Just Balls" had the perspective of a teen complaining about a poor relationship with a parent. There's still a bit of that in songs like "Me Against The World" and "Shut Up!", but this time, more songs talk about a romantic relationship gone bad (for example, "Perfect World", "Everytime" and "Thank You"), and the perspective is more young adult than teenager--"Everytime" talks about the partner waking the singer at 3 a.m. and driving to dawn--not likely if still living at home. The band's characters are maturing, as is their music.

Other notable songs include "Crazy", a throwback to Reset's (the predecessor band to Simple Plan) socially-conscious songs, and "Jump", plainly intended as a concert song but very strong in its own right.

Perhaps the strongest song on the CD is "Untitled", a downbeat song with downbeat music, the dying thought of someone who doesn't know why he's dying, and despite the people around him, is dying utterly alone. The sadness which runs through many of the band's works is here in full strength. Softer than usual and using a piano (shades of "Meet You There" on the first CD), even if never released as a single, it may well be the band's best song to date.

While lead singer Pierre Bouvier did almost all the singing on the first CD, much more is heard from backup singers Sebastien Lefebvre and David Derosiers, who do a lot more of the singing here, and they are well worth listening to.

Extras on the DVD or flip side (depending on edition) include the video for "Welcome to My Life" and the program (shown, I believe, on MTV) about its making.

Highly, highly recommended.

I honestly wasn't expecting to be happy with this cd. I'd expected them to follow in Good Charlotte's footsteps, getting increasingly poppy with each new cd, but thankfully they're not. I dare say this cd is harder than the first one. I don't know what the first reviewer is smoking, but they never talk about high school. Girlfriends, sure, but yeah, they're in their 20s, it's not unreasonable to write about relationships. And that's not all they write about either. Good cd. I recommend it.

Simple Plan isn't for you if you are the kind of person you uses labels. Simple Plan isn't punk, it isn't pop, it can't fit specifically into a genre of music. It spreads over different genres. Don't call them "posers" because to be a poser you have to try to be something you aren't. And on several occasions members of the band have said that they aren't trying to be punk, they just want to play music. If they were trying to pose as punk rockers, you can be sure that they'd have full arm tattoos and whatever else "posers" do to fit into the punk genre.

Still Not Getting Any... is an excellent collection of music that covers many emotions. From fast to slow, and happy to sad and angry. Simple Plan's music as a whole has matured from the previous CD (No Pads, No Helmets, Just Balls) in that the themes of the songs are more mature even if the lyrics are still basic. But I think that's what the "beauty" of Simple Plan's music is. It is simple on the surface with words that just about everyone could come up with, but it is the way they are presented that makes them deeper than what they are on the surface. I am in no way saying that they are lyrical geniuses, but the way Bouvier delivers the lyrics lets the listener know that those are his words and his feelings. Simple Plan is able to connect with their fans in a way I rarely find. This is especially apparent in their live shows, which, if you are even slightly a fan of their music, will enjoy.

So, basically, if you are interested in a CD that is fun and covers all range of emotions, pick up "Still Not Getting Any..." and go ahead and pick up their previous CD if you haven't already. And if you are trying to appear "cool" or "punk", do yourself a favor and don't buy this cd, because you'll get hell for it.

This CD from Simple Plan is a great step towards becoming an established group. Their songs are catchy, and mainly CLEAN. Song writers feel more often now that using "dirty" language will sell their CD's. Simple Plan does not use this language and it is appropriate to play infront of all ages. "Welcome to my Life" is one of those songs that if you really listen to it, makes you think. Many of their songs are catchy, but this song in particular can strike your buttons. Along with "Promise" this CD has taken a drastic step forward from the whiney complaining teenager idea that people were giving them when they first became big, and I look to see steps forward.