The first single, "Monster" paints a pretty disturbing picture for those who look beyond the surface of this radio hit. This depth is a trend throughout the album. If you just want to sing along to a catchy song then this cd should stay in your playlist for quite some time, while the rest of us can appreciae the stories told in the lyrics. Don't get me wrong, this isn't Bob Dylan we're talking about, nor is it reinventing the wheel. You have to admit though, indie pop is a pretty good wheel when done well. "Roses" is the second single, and I would suggest they follow that up with "Tell Mary", which is a well-written ballad that has huge multi-format potential. Several songs pick up the angst flag that was once poorly held by the likes of Avril and that chick who won American Idol that time. The difference being that fans of those artists are a few years older now and should appreciate a more well-rounded take on the concept.

"Rebecca" is an absolutely gorgeous piano ballad that gives us a glimpse in a rather odd and potentially disturbing love story. It also gives me a reason to talk to about one of my biggest pey peeves in popular music. Usually i can't stand it when songs mention people by name. As far as I'm concerned it completely removes everyone who has not experienced that exact situation with people with those names from the potential emotional impact of the song. Meg & Dia are the exceptions to this rule. Several songs namedrop the people in the story and it just serves to bring you in closer to their world. I liken it to Adrian Tomine's comic book masterpiece Optic Nerve. In that, he begins each short story with little or no explanation of who the characters are, shows you a brief emotional or pivital moment in their lives and simply leaves it at that. This is not easy to do, and is even more difficult in the context of a song. the girls have mastered the art...and it's only their debut album!

Another thing I really enjoy is that they leave enough of the song up to interpretation that you can write your own story for the characters. For instance, I have no idea what "Getaways Turned Holidays" is about, and that's a good thing! The story I've invented in my head is unique to me, as are the ones in the minds of all of their fans. This may seem like no big deal, but turn on the radio and you'll hear song after song of cliche' storylines being read to you verbatim. To their credit, the band is not treating their listeners like idiots. Many of them may be kids, but the girls trust them enough to interpret the songs on their own. This involves the listners in the songwriting process and makes the album that much better.

It is a rarity that a band in this genre will release a smart album that isn't completely processed and spoon-fed to the public like so much baby food. Sure, some of the imagery will appeal to kids, and there's nothing wrong with that as long as the songs can stand up as well as these do. there is room for this band to grow, and I expect future work to be even better, but if this is any indication of what's to come then the bands currently at the top of the charts might not want to get too comfortable up there. Meg & Dia are coming to stake their claim...and are going to look darn cute doing it!