Sugar Ray

1	Answer the Phone
2	When It's Over
3	Under the Sun
4	Satellites
5	Waiting
6	Ours
7	Sorry Now
8	Stay On
9	Words to Me
10	Just a Little
11	Disasterpiece

Barnes & Noble

Two years after using 14:59 to tweak folks who insisted they were destined for 15 minutes of fame, Mark McGrath and company have returned -- a little more grown up, a little mellower, but just as adroit at creating sweet melodies that stick in the head after just a single listen. This self-titled disc is a departure in a lot of ways. The party-boy persona that McGrath has flaunted for much of the band's career has been (at least temporarily) retired, and in its place is a guy who's longing to be loved, as evidenced by both the surprisingly gritty "Waiting" and the Philly soul homage "Ours." Fans of the edgier sound the band espoused on, say, Lemonade & Brownies will find the pickings somewhat slim, although "Under the Sun" does allow the band's inspired guitarist, Rodney Sheppard, to let loose. But those who've developed a sweet tooth for Sugar Ray's irresistible singles will no doubt revel in the lilting tones of mini-dramas like "Answer the Phone" and "Stay On" (which features a cameo from 311's Nick Hexum). Light and airy, sure, but those summer breezes sure can make you feel fine. David Sprague

All Music Guide

By their fourth album, Sugar Ray had developed a real ease to their music. Starting with "Fly," they no longer tried so hard to rock -- they no longer tried to ape the Red Hot Chili Peppers -- and began relaxing into a sun-kissed, laid-back groove, the kind of music where even the fast numbers powered by distorted guitars don't necessarily sound heavy. This came to the forefront on 14:59, but it blossoms on that album's follow-up, Sugar Ray. Where 14:59 was a little self-conscious and jokey (culminating in a cover of Steve Miller's "Abracadabra"), Sugar Ray feels easy and natural, so it's easy to smile at the reference to Run-D.M.C.instead of cringing. And that'sthe key to the record -- it's relaxed, utterly without pretension, and often charmingly melodic. Sure, there are some cuts that fall flat, but this record is more consistent than any of their previous albums, thanks not only to a stronger set of material, but the fact that the band is gelling as a band, which makes even the missteps easier to listen to. Best of all, the band never runs from their past, adding another great summer single to their arsenal with "When It's Over" (easily the equal of "Fly" and "Every Morning"), while even sampling "Every Morning" on "Ours." All this doesn't make Sugar Ray seem new, but there's charm to their performances, which make the album seen fresh, all the same. For a supposed one-hit wonder, it's remarkable that they've released their best album four records into their career. Stephen Thomas Erlewine