Closer (2012)

Dropped by Elektra after three albums, Louisiana's nice-guy alt-pop trio gamely plays on. The hip-hop of ''Recognize'' and ''Extra Ordinary'' won't age well, but there are better moments: On ''I Do,'' frontman Kevin Griffin sings sweetly, ''Someone out there is listening to the same song/Feeling the same way that I do.'' And the title track offers a shred of hope for the much-maligned power ballad -- this despite its fleeting resemblance to the all-time-schlock classic ''Wildfire.''