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So a hit single can change bands, that’s a given, especially when the hit single is as unique as “Hey There, Delilah. After that song went over so huge you’d expect that a follow-up album would be half acoustic and a lot poppier. With Plain White T’s that’s about half true. This album is by far and away poppier and yes more mainstream than the last record. Every song on this album is a pop song and there’s really not any aspect of punk or pop punk to be had. Don’t get me wrong, that’s not really what the Plain White T’s were about before they signed to a major or on their first major release, but at least there were some rock songs and there was some edge to it. On “Big Bad World” there’s as much edge musically and lyrically as John Tesh singing standards. “Natural Disaster” is a little risqué, but that’s about it. I don’t disagree with the route taken on this album, but it’s hard to appreciate this album as a pop record after the mindset is half going to be that these guys are selling out in the first place. The best song on “Big Bad World” is the title track, “Natural Disaster” was a terrible choice as a single, “1,2,3,4 is the band’s next big hit if it gets a shot at it. Other than that there’s not a lot that can be said for “Big Bad World.” Not to go as far as to say it’s a disappointment, but it’s definitely predictable.