*** Five Eight

THE GOOD NURSE

(Deep Elm)

The Good Nurse is a song cycle about people dealing with both physical and mental illness in hospitals. And though that may seem like a lot for a emo pop-punk trio from Athens to tackle on one CD, Five Eight have had some experience with writing about particular characters, like "Ralph Newman . . . the angriest man I know," from 1993's The Angriest Man, and "Stanley," from 1997's Gasolina! These are more complex songs than the band have attempted in the past, but they pull it off. There's a dark affecting beauty in the menacing drone of "Off Season," the escapist dream of "Orlando," and the aching cello in "Oh Surgery." The scene-setting instrumental "Rose's Dream" and especially the catchy "All My Patients" give the band a chance to flex their guitar-powered muscles. But Five Eight's strength remains the sincerity that comes through in singer/songwriter/guitarist Mike Mantione's writing and delivery.

(Five Eight perform this Thursday, October 19, at T.T. the Bear's Place. Call 492-BEAR.)

-- Michael Piantigini