There’s a theory that trends — what with their cyclical nature and all — need about 20 years to become popular again. Some would argue that’s why That ’70s Show was a mid-’90s hit, while That ’80s Show tanked (others might mention that one was an original, well-executed idea and the other was an unabashed attempt to cash in on the success of the first), or that whole bell-bottoms thing around 1993.

By this logic, The Feminists’ latest album, Can’t Scream Loud Enough, might have a difficult time attracting listeners, as it sounds an awful lot like all those mid-tempo ’90s rock bands everyone just loved calling “alternative.” That’s not to say Scream isn’t without its charms. Hooky, well-written power-pop will always have its place, after all, but despite their merits, The Feminists can’t help sounding like Ben Folds fronting a supergroup made up of members of Sloan, The Odds and The Gin Blossoms.

Yet, as we creep towards 2010, maybe The Feminists are onto something. Alternative rock’s 20 years are getting closer to being up and we’ve already started to see the first musicians jump back on the bandwagon. Kevin Drew released a Dinosaur Jr. record, Blitzen Trapper made a Pavement album, even the Magnetic Fields abandoned Tin Pan Alley for The Jesus and Mary Chain. It makes you wonder: are The Feminists 15 years too late, or five years ahead of the game?