ALBUM REVIEW / POP

* 1/2 Save Ferris, “It Means Everything,” Epic. This debut packs all the charm of a low-budget cartoon--lots of bright colors and squirrelly action, but ultimately two-dimensional and pointless. The songs bop around in giddy, ska-inflected circles, slinging hooks that overshoot hummable and quickly become cloying. Singer Monique Powell chirps trite sentiments with Betty Boop vim that’s technically feisty but emotionally bland. Frenetic energy alone keeps the album buzzing for a while, but it’s clear that while Save Ferris may be all revved up, it’s got precious few ideas about where to go.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four stars (excellent).