What goes up must come down. So it's only natural that after the psychedelic trippiness of 2006's Chemical City, Montreal rocker Roberts has returned to earth for this third album.

But it seems he came down a little hard. Although he's only 33, Roberts comes off like a world-weary senior for most of this disc. When he isn't on about topical fare like global warming, "stripmall religion" and impending societal collapse, he's grousing about being stuck in a rut, trapped in a hole and coming unhinged.

He even complains about going grey and gripes (albeit ironically, we presume) that "the kids don't know how to dance the rock 'n' roll." Whatever you say, grampa.

Fittingly, Roberts liberally spikes his CanRock with plenty of bluesy boogie and artsy roots, which fuses with the warm, reverby production to connect the dots between Wilco and The Kinks.

And while these cuts are slightly leaner and more focused than their predecessors, they're still not as hooky and crisp as the hits from his debut We Were Born in a Flame.

On the plus side, he rocks out often enough to make it clear that even if he's feeling his age these days, he doesn't always act it.

Track Listing:

1. Love At The End Of The World
2. Stripmall Religion
3. Oh Maria
4. Lions Of The Kalahari
5. Fixed To Ruin
6. Them Kids
7. Words & Fire
8. Sundance
9. Up Sister
10. End Of The Empire
11. The Pilgrim
12. Waking The Dead
13. Detroit '67