Remember back when people gave a shit about Trans Am? What happened? That double album, Red Line, certainly didn't help matters, but it wasn't all bad. I mean, I distinctly remember at least two good songs on it ("I Want It All", "Play in the Summer"). Oh, wait; it was TA that shot everything to hell. The piles and piles of irony backfired so badly the band claims it wasn't even trying to be funny in a this-is-so-cheesy-it's-funny-but-you-better-not-laugh-because-we-might-be-serious kind of way. From forward thinking prog-rockers to Bush-bashing politicos in the span of two albums, Trans Am has lost all credibility. The gay cop mustaches must seem regretful now, eh guys? Liberation tries to recapture the band's late-'90s glory days with instrumental wankfests that even math-rockers would scoff at. The interspersed political commentary is forced and awkward and sort of embarrassing. Time for a new schtick.