MILLENCOLIN home from home 1. Man or Mouse 2. Fingers Crossed 3. Black Eye 4. Montego 5. Punk Rock Rebel 6. Kemp 7. Botanic Mistress 8. Happiness for Dogs 9. Battery Check 10. Fuel to the Flame 11. Afghan 12. Greener Grass 13. Home From Home Band: Millencolin CD: Home from Home Before hearing “Home From Home”, the new LP from Millencolin, I was somewhat familiar with the band from the Punk-O-Rama compilations of Epitaph Records. I always looked forward to hearing the Millencolin track because it was sure to be a strong contribution. I jumped at the chance to review their new full-length, expecting to hear the growing maturity of their sound that has been evident from the few songs I had previously heard. Millencolin has successfully developed their style, keeping their full, distorted guitars (see the white Les Paul on the album cover) and distinguishing vocals. This whole album feels grown-up, partially due to the lack of punky desperation in the music, and the lyrics are mostly retrospective. Songs about overcoming inner conflicts of the past permeate this release, and the flavorful “Punk Rock Rebel” openly discusses and pays tribute to the band’s punk past. While it is still classified as pop-punk, Millencolin seems to be more “rock” than “punk rock” at present. A band should always be free to develop their sound. The first song, "Man Or Mouse", sets the theme for the album, strategically placed to let the listener know what approach Millencolin is taking, and they seem determined to take you with them. Track 2, titled “Fingers Crossed”, is reminiscent of earlier Millencolin. This song makes me walk with even more bounce in my step than usual. It is one of my favorite tracks because it sounds like the Millencolin I have wanted to hear since my first listen to "Bullion" from Punk-O-Rama 2, which was many years ago. After a few listens, the rest of the album sounds great, especially Track 3, "Black Eye". It Is a slower, rocky song with twisting guiitars and emotional vocals. I find myself listening to the first half of the album more than the second half, which is typical and is taken into consideration when organizing a record. However, it is strong all the way through. I believe that the first seven songs have the greatest variety, whereas the band moves into their secure sound once the listener has been satisfied by the more extreme directions. The vocal manipulation of Nikola Sarcevic, pleasingly awkward, still combines well with the backup vocals, and this album showcases an original sound that is deserving of mainstream respect, whether the mainstream market is pursued or not. This release is a good balance of hard rock, concern with responsibility, and emotional connection with plant life (Botanical Mistress). The bottom line is that these are strong, well-developed songs from a band that is choosing to move forward and explore the boundaries of their own sound instead of rewriting their old material.