Made in China (2005)

At her best, Juliana Hatfield's that rare alt-rock old hand who knows the value of both power chords and sugary pop. But the sour largely overwhelms the sweet on this set of metal sludge, repetitive tunes, and purposefully ugly vocal effects called Made in China. For all her hardworking fury, Hatfield still connects best during the softer moments, like ''Hole in the Sky,'' an elegy to a friend. Otherwise, ''Digital Penetration'' is as dreadful as its title.