In Brief

** Save Ferris, “Modified,” Epic. The rich vocals of Monique Powell once propelled Save Ferris to the head of the late ‘90s pop-ska class. The end of that fad has left the Orange County act looking to branch out ever so slightly without abandoning a proven formula. So there is a hint of funk within “Holding On,” and turntable effects beneath “The Only Way to Be.” But the perky, horn-driven pop remains weighted by lyrics that are tough, direct and finally shallow. More modifications required.

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Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent). The albums are already released unless otherwise noted.