So, I’ve been reading a lot of reviews of the new Limp Bizkit album, and all of them seem to mention, or at least imply, one thing: Limp Bizkit is a joke, not a band to be taken seriously. (This might turn out to be half-rant, half-review, but I’ll try to keep it reasonable.) In fact, Rolling Stone went so far as to claim that the songs on "Significant Other" were the first ones written by LB designed to be listened to more than once.

Am I alone out here? Did the first album really suck? Is there something wrong with me because I know most of the words to "Three Dollar Bill, Y’all?" I’ll be honest, at first I didn’t like LB at all, but after I gave them a chance, it was a different story. Now, this might sound like taboo, but I believe that Limp Bizkit are a group of talented people who write good songs. Their new album is no exception.

Actually, to say that Significant Other is not an exception at all would be a lie, because the album certainly distinguishes itself from others falling into the "modern rock” category. And if it is anything, it is a more mature and diverse record than LB’s debut (not to say that the first was not diverse or overly immature). Diversity is a key word here, and that has turned many Limp Bizkit fans off to the new album, from what I have heard. However, diversity will hopefully prove to be a double-edged sword for the band, attracting as many (or more) fans as it pushes away.

On a less positive note, the songwriting, lyric-wise, ranges from good to bad, seldom swaying too far in either direction. Fred Durst’s writing on songs like "Show Me What You Got," (which seems to be a sequel to "Three Dollar Bill, Y’all’s" "Indigo Flow:" in other words, a collection of shout-outs rhymed…sloppily) is almost unbearable if you’re expecting something serious, but if not, it might give you a laugh or two. "Break Stuff," as its title implies, is little more than an "I’m-having-a-bad-day" rant, but on the other hand, when did unapologetic, pissed-off rock go out of style? While the lyrics aren’t anything special on this track, the attitude more than makes up for it.

All in all, this album is more about the musical side of LB than the lyrical side. Limp Bizkit is one of those bands who love to surprise you, and this album may do just that. The rhythm section is incredibly tight, and the Wes Borland’s guitar sounds like it could knock down a brick wall, especially on songs like "Trust” and "9 Teen 90 Nine” (or however they spell it, I don’t have the album next to me). And, to his credit, Fred’s singing and lyrics (!) both stand out on "Rearranged,” another of the album’s strongest tracks. So, pick this one up…you’ll listen to it more than once.

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