"You cannot kill the party," proclaims Andrew W.K. a couple of minutes into his sophomore major-label album The Wolf. So much for musical evolution. But hey, nobody listens to Andrew W.K. for his subtlety and depth.

We listen to him for his outrageous, fist-pumping anthems to hedonism, positivity and individuality. You get another dozen of those on the 43-minute Wolf.

Over a virtually interchangable slate of arena-sized melodies and overblown rock-opera arrangements -- think Jim Steinman after too many espressos -- Andrew belts, bellows and barks inspirational carpe-diem ditties like Tear It Up, Make Sex, I Love Music and the self-deprecating Totally Stupid.

Sure, power ballads like Never Let Down and Really in Love could be last waltzes at the sock hop, but make no mistake: Andrew W.K. is still a wild party.

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[[+3]] Friday, September 12, 2003

Party on, Andrew