Alt-rockers Supergrass [ tickets ] climb out of the dark hole they planted themselves in on "Road to Rouen," their 2005 studio entry, but the rowdy, flashy "Diamond Hoo Ha" may not represent the sort of musical advancement the group was counting on.

"Rouen"--which came on the heels of the death of frontman Gaz and keyboardist Rob Coombes' mother, along with a tabloid scandal featuring drummer Danny Goffey--found the band in a musically more contemplative zone, but the compositions on the album were imbued with a maturity and poignancy that marked a true pinnacle for the British band.

With the new "Diamond Hoo Ha," on the other hand, Supergrass returns to the sort of party-all-the-time intelligent rave-ups that marked the group's ascension on the UK charts over the last decade. From the head-on opener and first single, "Diamond Hoo Ha Man," through the disc's first three cuts, the action is fierce and unrelenting, but the songs lack the emotional gravitas of earlier material like "Late in the Day" off 1997's "In It For the Money" and "Rouen's" epic "Roxy."

By the time the boys settle into a more relaxed groove on "When I Needed You," the album's fourth track, the die has been cast. Supergrass never really backs off from full-tilt boogie mode until the CD's final song, "Butterfly," which recaptures some of the magic of "Rouen" and earlier efforts.

In between, however, the band serves up a few tasty raves, especially "345"--which matches the fun-loving ferocity of "Rush Hour Soul" from 2002's "Life on Other Planets"--and the crackling "Whiskey and Green Tea," which bursts forth with uncapped energy.

Despite the slight retreat implied on "Diamond Hoo Ha," fans can be reassured that the band has lost none of its knack for penning smart and catchy songs. Unfortunately, as electric and compelling as parts of the album are, it fails to match earlier, more coherent efforts.