

Led by the singalong hook and stomping thrust of "Rebel Beat," the Goo Goo Dolls make a forceful return with their tenth studio album, Magnetic. The song sets a precedent for an album of melodic rock singles that demonstrate singer/guitarist John Rzeznik's evermore sophisticated knack for coupling emotional lyrics with immediately familiar hooks. A perfect case-in-point is "Slow it Down," which has a sweeping arc akin to the group's 1999 smash "Slide," and yet, for all the big guitars, the album's most skillfully crafted heartbreaker comes with an acoustic tune, "Come to Me."