Good Charlotte was made famous with its second album, “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.” Hits like the title track, “Anthem,” and “Girls and Boys” really hit home on the radio and connected with a lot of listeners. Good Charlotte continued running with its emo pop punk until Good Morning Revival hit the shelves.

That album was a lot more dance poppy, with heavy computer beats and catchy hooks that felt more like the kind of album a ‘90s boy band would’ve put out. Its lyrics reflected heavily on lead singer and songwriter Joel Madden’s breakup with Hilary Duff.

But now, the boys from Washington, D.C. have come out with their fifth studio album, “Cardiology.” In an interview in 2009 with Kerrang! magazine, Madden said that the album’s name comes from the fact that all the songs are “connected to the heart.” It’s obvious from latter tracks that this is certainly true. Since Good Charlotte’s last album, Madden has had two children and became engaged to Nicole Richie. The results of all these changes is “Cardiology,” an album that doesn’t seem to know what to do with itself.

Some of the dance-pop techno beats are still here, along with a dedicated effort to return to the band’s roots. The combination makes it the kind of album a band makes when it doesn’t know whether to move forward or look behind.

The track “1979” is the kind of self-reflective call to the past that could’ve easily been on the “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.” No Good Charlotte album is complete without mention of Madden’s father and, in the case of Cardiology, “1979” is the track which brings us into Madden’s past. Tracks like first single, “Like it’s Her Birthday,” and “Sex on the Radio,” however, are firmly in “Good Morning Revival” territory. The former, in particular, is both catchy and danceable, but definitely lacks substance. Songs like “There She Goes” recall old Good Charlotte – all the way back to their self-titled album.

Cardiology may have come straight from Madden’s heart, but the sonic result of pouring all these songs out of the vein is a confused album that doesn’t seem to know exactly what it wants to be.

Many very early fans gave up on Good Charlotte when their third album, “The Chronicles of the Life and Death,” came out, arguing that Good Charlotte had lost the magic of their earlier tracks and albums. After “Good Morning Revival” came out, I was inclined to agree. Now, fans are presented with “Cardiology” – an album that argues Good Charlotte still has the magic, but has no idea what to do with it.