The Young and the Hopeless

GOOD CHARLOTTE THE YOUNG & THE HOPELESS

Despite the piercings and spiky hairdos of Good Charlotte frontmen Joel and Benji Madden, the filth and the fury of punk are not in evidence on The Young and the Hopeless. Rather, Good Charlotte lean toward the sunny power pop favored by the lighter Huntingdon Beach, California, outfits. Nevertheless, with the title track and "The Anthem" ("I'm just a minor threat"), the band appeals directly to high-school outsiders. Relationship problems are delved into in "Wondering" and "Say Anything," and they even find space to explore comic horror with "My Bloody Valentine." So they're not as intense or enraged as the hardcore likes of Black Flag or even Linkin Park. But the undeniably strong melodies this bunch comes up with have plenty of appeal on their own terms. --Dominic Wills