By By Samantha Nwaoshai

The name The Veronicas (named after Veronica from the Archie Comics), conjures comparisons to The Donnas without even hearing a note. Listeners think, “I am going to hear a cool, edgy, all-girl rock band.” However, after listening to one note, Avril Lavigne comes to mind. Ask anyone what they think of Avril Lavigne and there are two possible responses: “I love her!” or “I hate her with a passion!” Now what if there were two Avrils? Wonder no longer. Their debut album, The Secret Life Of The Veronicas, offers up a double dose of pop-punk that you will love to hate.

Their first single and first track, “4ever,” just reeks of TRL pop by the title alone. It makes the listener’s ears bleed. It tries hard to be edgy, but is all sugary sweetness. It’s simply bad, with lyrics like, “Come on baby we ain’t gonna live forever / Let me show you all the things that we could do / You know I wanna be together.” The whole “together-forever” thing is predictable. There are other words that rhyme with “forever,” or rather, “4ever.” How about “never?” Never rhymes with “4ever.”

Then there’s “Revolution,” a song whose title implies a call to arms but sounds more like a temper tantrum. According to dictionary.com, one of the meanings for revolution is “a drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving.” That is not what it means to The Veronicas. It simply is a reason for some guy to like them. “I’ll blow your mind / I am / I’m a revolution,” say the lyrics. If they are a revolution, the world is doomed.

There is really no need to mention any other songs, because they are all the same. The album is full of pop songs trying to sound edgy, but instead sound pathetic. The Secret Life Of The Veronicas should be a secret kept under lock and key.