Rewired is a fine record, a mix of pop/rock synth-orchestrated balladry that favorably recalls both the mid-'70s work of Genesis and the more pop-focused work of Phil Collins - Paul Carrack's singing is excellent, and Mike Rutherford and Robbie McIntosh's playing (and Rutherford's programming) are seamless and always interesting; only when Rupert Cobb takes over the programming, on "Perfect Child," does the music veer a little too far out of rock and into the pop category, but the interlude is forgivable and the song is pretty enough to carry off the switch in mood.

For most of M6, Mike + the Mechanics play it fairly safe, offering strongly melodic adult contemporary material with excellent performances. It's the rare track, however, that is truly captivating. The band continues to experiment with electronica influences, though, and it is on those tracks, the anthems "Now That You've Gone" and "When I Get Over You," where the group offers something innovative to fans of its music. In fact, "When I Get Over You" hardly sounds like Mike + the Mechanics at all, and more like modern releases from the likes of Sting and Roxette, with a haunting string arrangement played over pulsating beats and keyboard effects. The rest of M6 sounds similar to Beggar on a Beach of Gold, with prominent rhythm guitars and emotional vocals. While the songwriting is not as strong as on that album, the band continues to show interest in nice production touches such as the crackling record background to "My Little Island."

Following the death of Paul Young and the departure of Paul Carrack, Mike + the Mechanics' only original member, Mike Rutherford, returns with a brand-new lineup for The Road, their first studio album since 2004's Rewired. Perhaps indicative of the talents of their two former vocalists, the former Genesis guitarist has brought in three different frontmen to fill their shoes: Canadian performer Tim Howar, who played Rod Stewart in the musical Tonight's the Night; South African singer/songwriter Arno Carstens, who left during its recording to pursue his solo career; and, most famously, Andrew Roachford, who scored several hits in the late '80s/early '90s with his funk-rock band namesake…