Puddle of Mudd - Come Clean [Explicit Content] - (Parental Advisory Explicit Lyrics) - [CD]

Possessing a likable, arena-rock amalgamation of grunge, alternative and nu-metal, Come C lean, the debut album from Puddle of Mudd, shows a band who are at once emotional and straight-ahead. Indeed, their no-frills line-up puts one in mind of a less uptight Creed. Singer Wesley Reid Scantlin possesses an Eddie Vedder earnestness that on hard-hitting tunes like "Nobody Told Me" takes on a Cobain-like urgency. Ranging from acoustic-based yet lush midtempo rockers such as "Drift and Die" to the gimmicky fun of "She Hates Me" to the edgy Nirvana-esque "Bring Me Down" to the dynamic and direct "Control," the 11-song-strong Come Clean is an assured, accomplished and varied debut likely to resonate with rock fans of many tastes and temperaments. --Katherine Turman