Since their 2013 debut album,
Ride Your Heart
,
Bleached
's
Jennifer
and
Jessie Clavin
have been cleaning up the rough edges of their punk-pop. On
Don't You Think You've Had Enough?
, they share how they cleaned up their lives. Their first work as sober artists, the sisters' third album reflects the turning point the Clavins faced after
Welcome the Worms
. On that album,
put plenty of attitude and fuzzed-up amps between themselves and their problems; this time, they confront them, bidding farewell to toxic friendships on "Silly Girl" and dysfunctional relationships on "Rebound City." The Clavins' clearer perspective is mirrored by the clarity of their songs and performances. Working with producer
Shane Stoneback
, they hone their music to its hookiest lyrics and punchiest riffs; on the strutting opener, "Heartbeat Away," they sound catchier -- and more in control -- than ever. "Daydream" gives the songwriting skills they've had since "Think of You" room to bloom, while "Somebody Dial 911" updates the tough-but-slick sound of
Blondie
the Go-Go's
. The time
spent on the road with
Paramore
was also a major influence on
, and songs such as "Real Life" are just as confessional, relatable, and joyous as
Hayley Williams
and company at their finest. On the second half of
get a little rougher and a lot more real. Autobiographical glimpses like "Valley to LA" -- where
Jennifer Clavin
sings about "wishing we were punks from '82" -- and "Awkward Phase," which embraces puberty's most embarrassing moments, zits and all, show just how confident, and vulnerable,
are at their best. That's especially true of "Shitty Ballet," an outpouring of slippery acoustic riffs and cathartic outbursts. It feels like the kind of breaking point that leads to real change, something
is filled with. Clarity may be a new state of mind for
, but it finds them generating sparks like never before. ~ Heather Phares