For some reason, the word "Forever" is common for musicians to use for album or song titles.

But only when the band is taking its last gasping breath at stardom or the possibility of actual sales.

With all that said, Cracker's new album Forever is, at best, mediocre. Cracker consists of song-writer/ guitarist/ singer David Lowery, and guitarist Johnny Hickman, with various guests filling out the sound.

Forever begins with the spacey, outlandish sound of the song "Brides of Neptune." Piano fills are sparse throughout Lowery's stony vocals and underwater sounds filter the airy lyrics of "I tried dating a mermaid; she buys pot from the first mate," which, really, makes no logical sense.

The phrase "guarded by monkeys" is used too much throughout the album. Lowery mumbles it in "Brides of Neptune" and there is a song named that too, which actually is not that bad. It starts with a heavy rock riff that plagues the chorus with the screams of the female backing of "You are so beautiful, you should be guarded by monkeys." Lowery's lyrics are like a jungle gym for the mind, way too full of monkeys and not worth climbing over.

Overall, the album is a weak attempt at the glory of the '90s alt-rock scene and has been done better, leaving the listener wanting to break out something like Radiohead's OK Computer or well, anything else. Forever is about as bland as a cracker when all a college student really wants is a slice of pizza.

— Reviewed by Caleb Sheaffer