Criteria - When We Break

Occasionally, history can sometimes serve to create an unnecessary set of expectations. On the contrary, it can also provide a useful and revealing backdrop. Both ideas seem to ring true for Stephen Pedersen and Criteria. As a founding member of Omaha, Nebraska's Cursive, Pedersen's lifetime in music jumped the gun in many ways. After leaving the band in 1998 to study law at Duke University in Durham, NC, he helped form The White Octave and released two cult-status albums. He's since disbanded The White Octave, finished school, taken a job in corporate law, and released the Criteria debut En Garde. Not only does this shed light on dichotomy of Stephen Pedersen, but also helps to explain Criteria's recognizable sound. The first half of When We Break tears through several tremendous songs, each with its own style and infectious hook. Much like En Garde jumped out of the gate with a standout track, "Prevent The World" jumpstarts the album with its multiple personalities; in the catchiest way possible, Pedersen's rational and irrational sides duke it out from contemplative verses to anthemic choruses. A couple songs further, the syncopated-riff of "Good Luck" gives way to a sing-a-long chorus that draws further similarities to En Garde. The second half of the album includes a few hit-or-miss instances. While a great stab at a power ballad, a few of Pedersen's straining, vocal refrains in "Grey Matter" grate on the ear. Furthermore, "Salt in Game" and "Run Together" kind of amble along when compared to stronger cuts. When We Break, in many ways, is simply an amalgam of Stephen Pedersen's past endeavors. The album runs the gamut of mid-tempo rock without slipping into too many of the easy clichés. Combine that with Pedersen's ability to pen decent lyrics that appeal to the twenty-something everyman and you've got yourself a pretty good album. [www.criteriamusic.com]