Kids In the Street (Deluxe Version)

Oklahoma's All-American Rejects play punk-pop with an endless stream of hooks pouring forth, displaying a solid musicianship that turns their snappy tunes into rewarding workouts. Their fourth album features more infectious pop that carves a permanent place in the memory banks. "Someday's Gone" features gorgeous harmonies and a melody with a hint of sadness under its joyous momentum. "Beekeeper's Daughter" throws in a tight rhythmic groove that recalls the FM-radio power of '70s Steve Miller Band ("The Joker"). Singer Tyson Ritter eludes the usual emo-punk clichés with a touch of brawn in his attack, while guitarist Nick Wheeler chugs along like a good soldier, adding color to the alternative pop of "Kids in the Street," the tense atmospherics of "Bleed into Your Mind," and the orchestrated ballad "Affection." The album's deluxe version adds the moody epic "Drown Next to Me" and four demos, including an extended look at "Someday's Gone" and the keyboard-dominated "Do Me Right," which suggests where the band may be taking its sound in the future.