Although it was a shame Bad Religion lost an ace guy who wrote half of their fantastic material, guitarist Brett Gurewitz is still putting his songwriting touch to good use. With his new group, he's even taken over lead vocals, and proves just as capable and inspired in that capacity (it's no crime demurring for 15 years to a major talent like Greg Graffin if you have one!). Hate You is a two-song "hello," and though neither track matches the battering hooks of Gurewitz's works with Bad Religion (the choruses fall short of "Stranger Than Fiction," "Man with a Mission," or "Atomic Garden"), both are still solid, mature punk tunes. And though Gurewitz's lyrics about now-broken relationships are uncharacteristically smug, they're not without his usual penetrating insights. ~ Jack Rabid