**1/2 crumb

SECONDS, MINUTES, HOURS

(Red Ant)

If crumb guitarist Mark Weinberg and vocalist Robby Cronholm weren't such outstanding songwriters, the big story here would be the thunderous flourishes of session drummer Josh Freese. Freese cut his teeth with So-Cal arch-punks the Vandals before joining Paul Westerberg's group, playing with Devo circa Lollapalooza '96, and reportedly signing on in Guns N' Roses' new line-up. He's an awesome rock drummer -- powerful, dynamic, and nimble. The rest of the band provide more than enough structure with hooks, yearning harmonies, and buzzing guitars, proving that songs matter as much as sonics (and make no mistake -- overdub after overdub, this is a heavily "produced" outing). Winningly evoking the Lemonheads, Cheap Trick, Jawbreaker, Westerberg, and (by association) the Goo Goo Dolls, crumb are alternately meaty ("seconds," "tonight") and vulnerable ("do you remember?" with That Dog's Petra Haden on violin and voice). Just as often, the group are unapologetically raucous (Warrant's Jani Lane guests on three tracks) and exuberant to a fault. But in crumb's case, excess is enchanting.

-- Mark Woodlie