With erstwhile guitarist Elias Reidy replaced by new axe man Matt Carter, American rock outfit The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus return with their second full-length album.

'Lonely Road' sees the Florida-bred quintet build on their pop-rock roots as well as unashamedly punctuate their 11-track offering with enough experimentation and progression to leave fans — new and old alike — pleased with the band’s collective intention to not rest on their laurels in the wake of the successful 2007 re-release of Don’t You Fake It.

'You Better Pray' — an anthemic introduction that wouldn’t be out of place on a Bon Jovi or Maylene and the Sons of Disaster album — kicks off the liberation, opening the proverbial slues gate on a flood of alternative rock ditties such as 'Pen & Paper', 'No Spell' and 'Step Right Up'.

'Represent' offers more of the same but with somewhat more of an introspective edge, before the gang vocals in 'Pull Me Back' promise much but deliver little.

'Believe' sees lead singer Ronnie Winter croon his way through a spectacularly down-tempo tune, after which the album’s title track offers sound advice with a string of nostalgically-edged lyrics.

'Senioritis' — complete with its trumpet-toned touches — has the band indulging in their catchy fundamentals again, leaving 'Godspeed' to tug at listeners' heartstrings with its metronomic marching band-esque backdrop, bringing 'Lonely Road' to a quite solemn end.

Once grouped with the dozens of other stock-standard pop-rock outfits, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus have successfully graduated to better acclaim with a path less travelled, but that much more fulfilling.