Modified

This successor to the band's promising It Means Everything debut album finds Save Ferris in a similar bind to that encountered by their Orange County brethren in No Doubt. Specifically: how to follow up on the success of a ska-pop breakthrough when the style itself has faded commercially. Modified is a more uneven collection than its predecessor, even though Monique Powell (a less-mannered vocalist than Gwen Stefani) shines on the reggae-tinged title track and the band deserves credit for stretching out its musical vocabulary on the trip-hoppy "One More Try." But, like many major-label sophomore outings, the album as a whole feels underinspired and overhurried. --Bill Forman