What's up guys, I'm back on here to do another album review! This time, I'll be digging into The Offspring's album Americana because it turns twenty years old today! This should be a quick and fun review because I know every song on it pretty well, so I don't have to form opinions as the album goes on. So yeah, hope you guys enjoy! And be sure to hit me up with your suggestions if you have any!
INTRODUCTION
Americana is the fifth studio album by The Offspring. Initially released on November 17, 1998, or twenty years from today, this album spawned three hit singles: "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)", "Why Don't You Get A Job?", and "The Kids Aren't Alright", with "She's Got Issues" being a minor alternative hit as well. It has sold more than ten million copies around the world with five million of them being in the U.S., therefore granting it a 5x platinum certification. This album, which is the band's last to contain a hidden track, was supported by a worldwide tour and a performance at Woodstock 1999. So why was this album so popular, you ask? Well, let's jump right into it and see.
REVIEW
Unlike albums like Conspiracy of One and Splinter (which I might review soon, by the way), I can remember the first time I listened to this album in full. It was around a month and a half ago, when I was curious as to what starting an album phase (where I'd pretty much only listen to albums) was like. This phase began when I decided to listen to this album after enjoying the first three singles from it. Around that time, I barely listened to albums because I often got extremely bored throughout them. But I really enjoyed this album on the first listen. I was captivated throughout the whole thing because pretty much every song was so upbeat and fun. I still listen to this album a lot today, not only because of that phase, but also because of how good it actually is.
The first, and most, noticeable thing about this album to me was the punk style in it. I noticed the theme that was going around in most of the songs, mainly the album tracks, and thought, "Hey, maybe this is that iconic punk sound that this band is so famous for." Turns out, I was right. Some true punk songs off the album such as "No Brakes" and "Staring At The Sun" didn't stick with me from the first listen, but stuck eventually because they are what define the album in my opinion. They didn't make their way into my rotation, but I still thought they were worth listening to at times. In fact, the only ones that did make their way into my rotation, or might have already been in my rotation, were the three big singles off of it. The other one is the reprise of "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)", which is a hidden track on every format except digital download. I don't know why, but I really enjoyed that reprise, although it was only a minute long. I did, and in fact still do, have it on regular rotation, and it remains as one of my most played Offspring songs to this day. Anyway, I think the overall punk sound on the album is pretty cool, although it's a little too hardcore for my daily rotation. I also find it interesting how the only songs that don't really sound like that, aside from the eight minute long "Pay the Man" and "Pretty Fly (Reprise)", are the four singles. Pretty much every other song on the album has that sound, and you can tell that when you listen to it. And I enjoy it quite a bit. It's what makes the album iconic in its own way.
Also, I think the single choices were great as well. The four songs that sound the least like this punk sound were the four singles, and I think that is good because the harder songs would not be very radio-friendly. And uncoincidentally, these four singles ended up being my top 4 favorite songs from the album. But why, exactly, are they up there? Let's dig into each track and see.
TRACK-BY-TRACK REVIEWS
1. "Welcome"
Rating: N/A
Comments: Not a bad intro to start off the album. But I won't rate it since it's only 9 seconds long.
2. "Have You Ever"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: The beat switch in this one tho. Definitely the best part.
3. "Staring At The Sun"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: The true punk sound on this album is showcased on here perfectly. It's just a little too overboard for me to have on rotation.
4. "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I C O N I C
5. "The Kids Aren't Alright"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: If you want a full, detailed explanation as to why I love this song, then check out my top 25 songs of all-time post for that. But in short, the guitars are amazing, the vocals are amazing, and the lyrics are amazing here. If I had to pick a favorite song from them I would immediately turn to this.
6. "Feelings"
Rating: 8.5/10
Comments: It's a weird song for sure, but that doesn't mean it's bad. One part I do enjoy is the slight beat switch at the end.
7. "She's Got Issues"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: This is exactly the type of song I wished would be a single off the album! It flows very well and that chorus is awesome.
8. "Walla Walla"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: Like "Staring At The Sun", this song is one of those album tracks that really helps define the album in my opinion. It's not an amazing song, but it is something I can have fun listening to every once in a while.
9. "The End of the Line"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: This is a track that catches my attention. However, this is just me, but I think it would fit better on Conspiracy of One than this album. I still love it, though.
10. "No Brakes"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: Everything I said about "Staring At The Sun" also applies to this. Nothing else to say.
11. "Why Don't You Get A Job?"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: I enjoy this song, but I'm not sure if it's really single material. But then again, I'm unsure if any of the harder punk songs on here would work as singles either. Either way, I think the song is just really catchy and fun.
12. "Americana"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: Just like "Staring At The Sun" and "No Brakes", this is a perfect example of the punk sound on this album.
13. "Pay the Man"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: I think this is really good for an 8-minute long song. My attention remains with the song for most of the time, surprisingly.
14 (or the end of 13 if it's not digital download). "Pretty Fly (Reprise)"
Rating: N/A
Comments: It's a very cool reprise that I didn't hesitate to start listening to regularly after I discovered it. However, since it's not really an actual song I won't include it in the ratings for the rest of the album.
ALBUM RANKDOWN
1. "The Kids Aren't Alright"
2. "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)"
3. "She's Got Issues"
4. "Why Don't You Get A Job?"
5. "The End of the Line"
6. "Have You Ever"
7. "Americana"
8. "No Brakes"
9. "Staring At The Sun"
10. "Pay the Man"
11. "Walla Walla"
12. "Feelings"
I love every song, though. I just had to rank them.
OVERALL SCORE
112/120 = 9.3333/10 = 0.9333333 = 93.3%
FINAL WORDS
This album is very good and it is a very fun listen, whether you like punk rock or not! If you were like I used to be and get very bored while listening to albums, then don't be afraid to give this one a shot, because it's anything but boring. You can check it out on Spotify here or on YouTube here.
Also, I know that my overall score for this album is slightly less than that of Conspiracy of One, but that's just a number, as I think Americana is overall the better album. The punk sound going on here is too iconic to turn down, and we see way more of that on Americana than we do on Conspiracy of One, so even if the score disagrees I think Americana is the more superior album. So yeah, really all I have to say about this one. Thanks for reading and see you wonderful music fans next time!
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