The Bob Schneider Experience

It's been a few years since the world has heard Bob Schneider -- on an album, at least. The clubs are another story. Schneider may be one of the hardest-working men in the music biz. And that should work in his favor, because it takes seeing the guy live to appreciate his spastic energy. When Schneider's on stage, you can almost forget about the Miss Congeniality soundtrack, the tryst with Sandra Bullock and all the cheesiness associated with the Austin-based singer-songwriter. Now he's giving the album game another go, following 2001's Lonelyland with this year's I'm Good Now, which features a cover shot of Schneider looking very much like Jesus -- or Jason Lee. Can't decide. And from the sound of this new disc, he can't, either. The songs are all over the map, and although Schneider's lyrical and vocal personality shines through occasionally, he seems to have moved into territory that Counting Crows have already marked. It will be interesting to see if the former Ugly Americans and current Scabs frontman can pull off his new material live.