Hello all you music fans, and welcome back to another awful album review! I didn't realize until now that it's been about three and a half months since I last did an album review on this blog, so I think now is a great time to do another one. Let's get rolling!
INTRODUCTION
The album I picked for this review is Light It Up, the second album and first major label release by rock band Rev Theory. It was first released by Interscope Records on June 10, 2008, and has sold 132,000 copies since then. About two and a half weeks after the album was released, it reached #74 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. Four singles were released from the album: the title track, "Hell Yeah", "Far From Over", and "Broken Bones". "Hell Yeah" is often considered to be the band's signature song, and it was used as the theme song for the TV show Blue Mountain State. So, why did I choose to review this album, you ask? My answer is that I think it should be pretty good considering how much I am listening to the album's first two singles at the moment. And as you may know, I am a huge post-grunge fan, and I think songs like the title track represent that genre very well. In other words, I think this album will be pretty good. Let's give it a listen!
REVIEW
So when people think of post-grunge, they often think of massively popular crossover bands like Nickelback, Creed, Foo Fighters, and 3 Doors Down. Then when you start listening to it more and more, you discover bands that pretty much only dominated the rock charts, such as Godsmack, Shinedown, Chevelle, and Seether. And then you stop and find another wave of bands that were not as popular, but just as post-grunge, and often just as awesome. I think Rev Theory is one of those bands. Like a lot of these bands, they got popular off of one or two songs, and although it seems weird to listen to more from them, the stuff you hear may be good. In other words, less people may have heard of bands like these, but a lot of people who have heard of them love them just as much as they would a popular band. One of the big things I think makes this band shine is the vocals. I think Rich Luzzi is a great singer, and I love hearing his voice on any type of song. I don't know how he got to sound so good, but I am really impressed a lot of the times I hear him.
Another thing that I think sets this album apart and makes it a good one to represent post-grunge is the guitars and guitar tone used throughout the album. Not many people will notice and point out the tone of the guitars on a song or album, but on this album, I can't let that go unnoticed. It's like Billie Joe Armstrong making a Dookie guitar pedal. I especially like how it sounds on uplifting songs like "Hell Yeah". There was one point where I was thinking that Luzzi's powerful vocals would make the other instruments sound so good, but if you put the instruments by themselves, they probably would still impress me. Julien Jorgensen and Rikki Lixx were the ones responsible for that, so props to them.
Well, I don't know if I should say that those were really the only things I noticed that I thought made the album so good. I think the different post-grunge guitar styles and tones were a part of it. I didn't listen to the lyrics too much, but a lot of what I heard sounds like something that would be in a good post-grunge song. The drums were something I pointed out, too. They not only worked well with the guitars, vocals, and overall style, but they also stood out on their own, sometimes helping create an uplifting atmosphere in a lot of the songs. Dave Agogila excelled at that part. Other than that, a lot of it is sort of a "you have to listen to see the deal" thing. If you listen to it and like it, you can find more things that people like about this kind of music. There may be quite a bit. But I definitely recommend it. Now, here are my thoughts on each track.
TRACK-BY-TRACK REVIEWS
1. "Hell Yeah"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Honestly, how can someone not love this song? It's a great example of how rock songs can make great anthems. It has catchy guitar riffs and uplifting drum beats throughout that are hard to resist. Please, give your ears a rest from all that not-so-good modern pop and rap and listen to songs like these every once in a while. (I have a feeling it may be a secret strip club anthem, though.)
2. "Favorite Disease"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: This one sounds cool! I wanted to hear more songs that sounded like the first two singles when listening to this album, and two tracks in I already have one. Nice going.
3. "Light It Up"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I really love the intro riff to this song. I have no idea why, I just think it sounds really grungey and cool. The good vibes seem to continue throughout the whole song, and the turnout is awesome. It is definitely an anthem, but not quite as good as "Hell Yeah". Though it still slaps.
4. "Broken Bones"
Rating: 9.99/10
Comments: I really liked the acoustic intro and the ballad-type vibe that was in the first minute, but I was thinking, "Please don't let this be a boring drum-less ballad!" I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I heard the drums kick in. The second chorus was really good, and was starting to bring life to the song. Then when I heard Rich Luzzi start singing the bridge, I was devoured in this song's greatness. This may be exaggerating a little, but I do really like this song and I think it's a good fit for a single.
5. "Kill the Headlights"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: One word: YES. The vocals on this track stand out a ton, and I think the way the guitars and drums work together gives the song a great atmosphere and sound. This is why you should listen to albums, people!
6. "Wanted Man"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: ...and all of what I just said also applies to this song. You cannot ignore the vocals on tracks like these. They make you realize that there are more talented post-grunge singers out there than you think.
7. "Ten Years"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: At first I didn't think it was quite as good as what I had heard so far, but when I heard how good Luzzi was singing here, I changed my mind. Seriously, his vocals can make a track sound really good. It's incredible.
8. "Falling Down'"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I thought that the song by Lil Peep and Xxxtentacion of the same name was great, but it's not much compared to this madness. The vocals, guitars, drums, and other sounds come together perfectly on this track.
9. "You're the One"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: This didn't impress me as much as the other songs did, but it is still just as good. The acoustic guitars that appear throughout sound great. Am I just used to all this fire at this point?
10. "Far From Over"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I was waiting to hear this song because I saw someone on last.fm who thought that this was better than "Hell Yeah", so I wanted to see what the deal was. I think the song is great for sure, but I think it's hard to top "Hell Yeah", so I'm not gonna go that far with it. It does get insanely awesome at the end, however.
OVERALL ALBUM SCORE
99.99/100 = 9.99/10 = 0.99 = 99.9% FINAL WORDS
If I had to sum up this album with a song title, it would without a doubt be "Hell Yeah". I had a lot of fun seeing what this album and this band had to offer, and I definitely want to continue listening to their discography after this. If you're interested in hearing the 99.9% quality inside this album, then you can listen to it on YouTube here or Spotify here. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a good rock band to listen to. Thanks to all who read this review, and I'll see you guys again soon! Have a great day!
Hello music fans, and welcome back to this blog for another epic top 10 post! It's been sort of a while since I last did one, so for that reason, I am doing a top 10 post on iconic nu metal songs! I am really excited to do this as I am a huge fan of the genre. So let's do it!
INTRODUCTION
This may be weird, but I am going to introduce this post with a short life story. So about two years ago, I was around the peak of my trap-loving phase, and you know, all I listened to was Migos, Future, Kodak Black, Lil Uzi Vert, 21 Savage, and others of their kind. One Friday at school, I was thinking about fans of other genres and what they would be like, and metal was one of them. I got fascinated thinking about it and even came to a consensus that liking extreme music of that kind might be interesting to experiment with, so when I got home from school that day, I tried my best to start listening to some heavy metal music. I tried a Spotify playlist of newer metal tracks at first, but after about five minutes I decided that what Spotify called old school metal would be better. That playlist had artists like Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, Metallica, and Iron Maiden in it, and I listened to it when I was going with my dad to get pizza that night. I even had told him about my plan, and he thought it was cool, but somehow after that I lost my motivation to continue getting into that genre. There was also another instance not long after this when I was in the car with my dad and he had the radio turned to the active rock station. They were playing the nu metal classic "Last Resort" by Papa Roach, and just one second of it made me think that this was more of that heavy metal stuff. My dad told me the song title and artist, and I just thought that Papa Roach sounded like a sort of interesting extreme metal band that I may or may not get into. That only taste of rock radio I had floated in my mind for a few months, and when I rediscovered songs like that months later, it was kind of cool.
So the moral of that story? If I could go back to that day and tell my 13-year-old self one thing about music, it would be to dig deep down into the subgenre of nu metal. Nu metal is a very interesting genre that blends heavy rock music with other styles like hip hop, funk, industrial, and grunge. It is often based around heavy guitar riffs despite having a very wide variety of influences. A common misconception is that nu metal is just a fancy term for rap rock or rap metal, and while a huge portion of nu metal is also rap rock, nu metal also includes bands that combine an alternative metal sound with influences like grunge. Bands like Staind, Godsmack, Evanescence, Hoobastank, and A Perfect Circle have been cited as nu metal despite a lack of hip-hop influences in their sound, so just take away that nu metal is not rap rock. But I still would have told my 13-year-old self about this subgenre because a huge portion of it does involve rapping over metal riffs, and I guarantee you that my 13-year-old self would have loved that. So yeah, that was a big long, but a good way to introduce this list. This is what I think are the most iconic songs from the nu metal genre. These are NOT my favorite nu metal songs of all time, these are the ones that I think influenced and defined the genre the most. I love all of these songs, but these aren't my favorite nu metal songs, but more of what I think the most iconic ones are. In other words, if you're looking to get into nu metal because you think it sounds cool (which I can confirm it does), then you're in the right place. And I am presenting them in alphabetical order, so they are not ordered from least iconic to most iconic. Enough talking, let's get started!
1. Slipknot - Before I Forget
Slipknot is one of those bands that I can't really pick out one signature song from. There were some earlier songs of theirs like "Wait and Bleed" that were fan favorites, then other rock hits like "Duality", "Psychosocial", and this. I picked this not only because it's my personal favorite, but because I think it represents the nu metal sound the best. And it had commercial success, which is also good. As for the song itself, it doesn't have that super heavy and deadly sound that a lot of Slipknot songs do. I don't mind those type of songs, but I prefer the more friendly sounding ones. This song starts out with a cool guitar riff, and after a few measures it goes into a verse that kicks off the nu metal feel of this song. I wouldn't necessarily call it rapping, but it's kind of a thing that vocalist Corey Taylor does in verses like that sometimes. When it kind of seems to switch up going into the chorus, I enjoy it. Taylor did a great job on that chorus and the song wouldn't be the same without it. In fact, while we're on the topic of that, let me just drop this in here:
Icony, huh? I thought so. I don't necessarily recommend this song or this band for someone just getting into nu metal, but once you've got through the basics and think you're ready for something big to hit, then try this or "Duality" out. They should be cool.
2. Drowning Pool - Bodies
If anyone pulls up in my presence and calls Drowning Pool a one hit wonder because of this song, then we are going to have some serious problems. But I picked this song to be on the list because I do think it is the best one. I am going to review Sinner sometime in the near future, so I will save a lot of my thoughts for that. But I will say this: If you have heard or seen any memes that have a whispering voice that says, "Let the bodies hit the floor, let the bodies hit the floor...", then it comes from this song. After that short intro with that whispering, which I do think is good, it kicks right into the good stuff. One of the first noticeable things is how singer Dave Williams shows his talent almost right away. He sounds great throughout pretty much the whole song. The rest of the band brings the energy alongside that, and by the time the chorus hits, it's just one big masterpiece. Unlike "Before I Forget", I think this song is a somewhat good nu metal starter, but I would wait before listening to the album. I promise I will talk about this album in a separate post, but for now just understand how iconic this song is.
3. System of a Down - Chop Suey!
Personally, I am not the biggest System of a Down fan, as I think a lot of their music is pretty all over the place, but you still have to admit that they did a lot to the nu metal subgenre and the rock world in general. This is likely my favorite song of theirs because it sounds the most normal out of everything of theirs I've heard. But that's not why I put it on this list. I put it on this list because I think it represents the nu metal genre very well, both musically and commercially. It has a good build-up in the beginning that gets you hooked, and the changing styles and sections throughout the song keep you that way. This was the first System of a Down song I heard, and I'm glad it was because this was the most popular and the most loved out of them. I don't think it's a good nu metal starter song, but as you go on it is good to hear. Not much else to say about this one.
4. Saliva - Click Click Boom
Here's a song that not many people like. I can kind of see why, but as a nu metal fan, it's hard to agree with those people. This song just has pretty much everything I like to hear in it. It clicks on and brings heat almost right away, and it keeps it when it needs to be present. I haven't done much research on the lyrics, and while I know they're not supposed to be serious, it just seems like a story about singer Josey Scott or anybody when they were younger, as you can tell from the first verse. When it gets into the chorus, you can really tell it's just for fun. If you know a thing or two about the nu metal subgenre, you may know that it does have its group of fans, but most other people do not come around to it and don't see why people enjoy it. This song is a perfect example of something that falls into that category, at least in my opinion. It's not for everyone, but it is for some people. If you were like my 13-year-old self and is a rap fan looking for something similar that may not have necessarily been loved, then here you go.
5. Disturbed - Down With The Sickness
General music fans and chart fanatics may have heard of Disturbed from their cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence" that was a hit a couple of years ago. However, if you want to be a nu metal fan, then get that out of your head. I did, and it helped me, so you should do the same. I didn't think that cover was bad, but Disturbed has so many great songs that it overshadows that so much. There's "Stupify", "Liberate", "Remember", "Stricken", "The Night", "Inside The Fire", and this, which is often considered the most iconic of those. It does so much in the time that it runs for, and it leaves me at least somewhat shook after every listen (and I've listened to this about 80 times so I know what I'm talking about). It starts off with a drum beat and quiet guitar riff that makes the song sound pretty passive, but at about the thirty second mark, you hear the first "OH-WAA-AAH-AAH-AAH!", and everything falls into place from there. I feel like this song and this band are good examples of why nu metal and rap rock are not the same thing. This is definitely not a rap-influenced song and Disturbed is not a rap-influenced band, yet they did so much to make the nu metal subgenre what it is. I love this song and love this band, and although they seem hated among regular metalheads they are just what I need.
boom na da noom na namena
da boom na da noom na namena
da boom na da noom na namena
da boom na da noom na namena
da boom na da noom na namena
da boom na da noom na namena
da boom na da noom na namena
da boom na da noom na namena
da boom na da noom na namena
da boom na da noom na namena
da boom na da noom na namena
da boom na da noom na namena GO!
6. Korn - Freak On a Leash
Most rock fans know Korn as one of the defining nu metal bands of the late 90s and early 2000s. However, there was a time when I just wasn't sure what they were thinking because I did not think that Korn should be considered as a nu metal band. I'm not sure why, I guess they just didn't have the vibe that bands like Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park had. Looking back, I can see what my old self was thinking, and while I definitely wouldn't consider every single thing Korn has done as nu metal, their stuff they put out during the subgenre's peak was pretty nu metal in my opinion. I debated on whether to use this song or "Falling Away From Me" for this list. I almost used "Falling Away From Me" because it sounds way more like a nu metal song than this to me, but this is often considered as Korn's signature song and one of the songs that helped nu metal rise to prominence, and this list isn't really based off of my opinion, so I went with this. "Falling Away From Me" is probably my favorite Korn song, but this song got it all started for me because of how cool it is to get into. It has this funky kind of vibe that captures your attention from the very start, and I feel like the choruses and bridge keep it from being boring for me. I feel it's hard to explain, so I guess you have to listen to see the deal. But let me just say that I've come to be a pretty big Korn fan, and if I didn't hear this song then I might not be as big of one.
7. Trapt - Headstrong
This song was released in 2002, but it's the second youngest song on this list. ("Before I Forget" was released as a single in early 2005, which makes it the youngest) I guess that shows how long it's been since nu metal was at its peak, and how big of a downfall it made. Anyways, I've been really familiar with this song for well over a year now, and I loved it from the first listen. I can't remember how I discovered it, but however it happened, I'm glad it did. In fact, this song was a huge crossover hit, peaking at #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and ultimately becoming the 49th biggest song of 2003 according to Billboard. It was also a number one hit on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks and Mainstream Rock Tracks charts. I can see people calling Trapt a one hit wonder due to this being their only big crossover song, but they do have a couple decent songs they made after abandoning the nu metal sound in the mid 2000s, with "Bring It" being the best one in my opinion. It's not nearly as hard and angry as songs like this, so you can check that out if you want, though this is the one that ended up defining their career. I don't know why it was such a big mainstream hit, just because of the angry, heavy nature behind it, but hey, it is what it is, and I won't complain. This is not one of my all-time favorite nu metal songs but I do enjoy it quite a bit.
8. Linkin Park - In The End
I won't go too much into this song since I've talked about it on this blog already, but it is one of my all-time favorite songs and probably my favorite song on this list. I love Linkin Park with a pretty big passion, and they have so many songs that are high tier and always fun to listen to. This is like the grandfather of all of them. Not only was it their most commercially successful song, but it is also considered the most iconic. And one listen is probably all it takes to see why. It has great rapping, great singing, great instrumentation and production, and very well written lyrics. There are lots of great songs on Hybrid Theory, and if this one really stands out when compared to the rest of the songs, then that says something. As I previously mentioned, I won't say much more since this isn't my first time discussing it here, but this really is nothing but greatness, and it did a great job in representing the rock world on mainstream radio and charts.
CUT MY LIFE INTO PIECES THIS IS MY LAST RESORT
9. Papa Roach - Last Resort
This is just me, but I have a hard time imagining a big nu metal fan that isn't in love with early stuff from Papa Roach. Everything released after Infest and lovehatetragedy is not really nu metal in my opinion, but those two albums, especially the former, are nu metal essentials for everyone. And this is really what got this band's popularity started. In fact, if you really don't mind cool kid-type rock music, then stop what you're doing and listen to this song now. (Just don't listen to the squeaky-clean version, I put that there as a joke) You may have heard it before because it was a really popular song, but if you haven't, this is a good chance to indulge yourself in it. This band really had rocked the world with this song and album, which is cool to think about. Lyrics and references to it can be found in lots of places, in memes, video games, and even Roblox skins:
That's all pretty impressive for a song about suicide, which not everyone may like to hear. It peaked at #57 on the Billboard Hot 100, which I think is pretty good for a hard rock song. Even better, it was a top 3 hit in the UK, and their debut album Infest was certified 3x platinum with the help of this song's success. And again, for a song of this kind I think that's pretty good. I'm glad it got this popular because it really is a great song, and it probably got so many people into listening to nu metal, which is also cool. I don't know if this is my favorite Papa Roach song, because songs like "Between Angels and Insects", "Scars", "Forever", "...To Be Loved", and "Lifeline" exist. However, there will probably never be a time when listening to this won't be fun for me.
10. Limp Bizkit - Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)
When many people first see or hear something about Limp Bizkit, only negative things come to mind. That's because not very many people seem to like this band. I can't exactly explain why because I do enjoy their music, but it's hard to get that across to their haters because of how passionate they are about their opinions. This is the first Limp Bizkit song I ever heard, and I loved it from the very first listen. It even remains in my top 50 most played tracks (according to last.fm) to this day. I think the mix of hard rock and rap works very well on this song, and hearing Fred Durst spit the energetic chorus over Wes Borland's heavy guitar is always satisfying to me. The whole white guy rapping thing may be part of why this band is so hated, but I really don't mind it. If you can't stand this band and don't know why they got so popular, I respect your opinion, but just realize that the nu metal genre may not have been so popular without the success of them and other similar bands. And yes, that means that mainstream bands like Linkin Park and Papa Roach and some of their successors may not have been so popular without the initial nu metal boost made by bands like Limp Bizkit in the late 90s. Despite how much it seems like I love this song, it's not my favorite from this band, and I won't reveal my favorite yet because I hope to do a top 10 post on these guys eventually. But if you don't mind having an unpopular opinion and want to try something new, then check this out, and it may be your thing. I'm glad I did.
And that wraps up this top 10 post! I hope you guys enjoyed reading it, and don't forget: If you ever feel like my 13-year-old self did at the point I described, then this subgenre is for you. Or if you just think any of these songs sound cool to you, you can listen to them using the YouTube embeds that I placed when presenting each song. You may like them, you may not. But giving nu metal a try may not hurt you.
Also, before I sign off, I want to advertise that I am going to do a Q&A on this blog sometime in the future, and you guys will ask the questions. If you have anything you want to ask me, music related or not, you can ask me using this form, and I will answer your questions in a future post. There's no real deadline to send them, so if you have one in mind, send it as soon as you can. Just nothing too weird, disgusting, creepy, or personal. (I've already had to throw out three questions because of that so watch out) That is all I have for you, thanks again and have a great day!
Well folks, it's finally time to review this record, because it celebrates its 25th anniversary tomorrow. You may be asking, "Why not just wait until its actual anniversary?", and the answer to that is I don't want to wait and I want to dive in as soon as I can. Also, this isn't going to be as much of a review as a lot of my posts on other albums were, it's going to be more of me raving about how good and iconic this album is, so if you're looking for more of a review then you might want to not read any further. Anyways, let's get started!
INTRODUCTION Smash is the third studio album released by American punk rockers The Offspring. It was released on April 8, 1994, by Epitaph Records, an independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. The band recorded this record after touring for their previous album, Ignition, in over two months in North Hollywood. It was produced by Thom Wilson, who also produced their previous two albums. Many hit singles came out of the album, including "Come Out and Play", "Self Esteem", and "Gotta Get Away", with "Bad Habit" also being a minor radio single. This album, along with Green Day's Dookie (which I reviewed a couple months ago if you want to go check that out), is widely credited for helping pop punk music emerge in the mid-1990s, which could be one reason why critics loved it so much. The success from this album also allowed the band to sign with Columbia Records in 1996. It is the all-time best selling album released by an independent record label, and has been certified platinum six times in the U.S. That is pretty good if you ask me. So, now you wonder what exactly is the big deal with this album, and why was it so successful? Well, how about we dive in and see why.
REVIEW
Before I start raving, can I just say that I've listened to this album well over 50 times in the past few months because of how good it is, and that when I say something about it, I'm not wrong. So if you want a legitimate answer as to whether or not this album is worth a listen and deserved its success, then you're in the right place. Let's get started.
So first of all, I'd like to discuss what I think this album means to this band and their discography, and also a little bit the growing punk scene of the 1990s. I often think of the first half of The Offspring's career in two phases: The first one being the beginnings, when they had a classic-punk kind of sound that kind of resembled early Bad Religion and a little bit the Descendents. You can really hear it in their self-titled album and there are some songs in Ignition that show it as well. And the second phase is when they developed the pop-punk style that they are widely known and recognized for. That style is easily audible in Ixnay On The Hombre, Americana, and Conspiracy of One, and once you hear it, you can't help but really enjoy it. I think that this record is very unique because it was kind of a gateway to their sound that they are known for. It's sort of like a bridge from their classic-punk sounding style to their pop-punk albums. I personally think those bridge-type albums can be very interesting to hear because of the good mix of songs they have in them, and Smash is a perfect example. There are some lower-tempo mainstream sounding songs like "Gotta Get Away" and "Self Esteem" that the band definitely went on to make more of, some hard, driving punk tracks that help define the album's sound, including, "Bad Habit" and "Something To Believe In", and some album tracks later in the album that are just cool. Some of the songs stick out when matched up with the rest of their discography, and the ones that do make this album as a whole stick out like that.
As for the growing punk scene of the 90s that this album helped build, it can be easily compared to Green Day's Dookie because of how both albums show a good example of a pop-punk sound and how they worked together in making pop-punk more popular. While I don't think Dookie was necessarily a bridge-type album (I would call Nimrod a good Green Day bridge album), it had a good mix of songs that made it sound like one. There were other albums from around 1994 that helped that scene grow, such as Bad Religion's Stranger Than Fiction, NOFX's Punk In Drublic, and Rancid's ...And Out Come The Wolves, but out of that group of albums, this has to be the best and most iconic one. There is good in pretty much every part of it: Catchy singles and energetic album tracks in the first half, and lots of pure punk and Offspring in the second half. An album often starts good and dwindles a lot towards the end, but this is not one of them. It starts off on a good note and ends off on a good note. I always love to hear that.
And then there's the content in the songs. Energy is a big one. Pretty much every song on here has at least a good amount of energy, and as someone that often gets bored listening to albums, that is a huge pro. Also, lots of rock artists have upbeat bangers towards the beginning of the album, it settles down slightly as it goes on, and then has a closer that is a slower ballad or stripped-down type song. I tend to like those types of albums most of the time, but not as much as ones that bring the heat at the beginning and then keep the heat going for the entire time. The Offspring are very good at doing that, which is one reason why I love them so much. As for instruments, they all are a big reason why. Noodles and his upbeat guitar riffs shine as usual, and Greg K. is responsible for many of the album's great basslines (especially the one in "Gotta Get Away") , so props to him. The album also showcases how talented drummer Ron Welty is, and while new drummer Pete Parada is good, he doesn't quite match Welty. He can drum fast and hard and make the drumlines almost as good as the guitar riffs and bass lines. And of course there's Dexter Holland who does an amazing job on the vocals as usual. I feel like his singing style played a huge role in developing his band's iconic pop-punk sound, so it is one thing to pay attention to. I'm not sure what tracks he played rhythm guitars on, or if he did at all, but whatever else it was, I'm sure it was good. Thom Wilson did a pretty good job on producing this album, and while I prefer later producers like Dave Jerden and Brendan O'Brien, the band may not have developed a good sound without his help. Honestly, everything was just good, and everyone who did work on this album played a good role in making it what it is. If one little thing changed, it might be totally different. That's what I like, everything coming together in the right way. This is for sure one of the best-made albums I have heard in a long time, and if you have the opportunity to listen to it, please use my advice and take it. You won't regret it. Let's review the songs now.
TRACK-BY-TRACK REVIEWS
1. "Time to Relax"
Rating: N/A
Comments: This doesn't get a rating because it's only a short spoken intro, but it does a good job at preparing you for the album. Seriously, you just need to relax when listening. Indulge yourself, kick off your shoes, put your feet up, lean back and just enjoy the melodies. Because after all, music soothes even the savage beast.
2. "Nitro (Youth Energy)"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: This is a pretty good opener and it starts the album off on the right foot. It's kind of short, but there's enough energy to give the album its first push into greatness.
3. "Bad Habit"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Who knew that road rage would make such a good song? I didn't. But the band packs so much energy into making it as good as it is. Also, that bass intro tho.
4. "Gotta Get Away"
Rating: 100/10 10/10
Comments: This is by far one of the most depressing songs I've heard in my existence, but that doesn't make it bad. It's actually the complete opposite. You have to really listen to this song a lot of times to see the deal (it took me 30-40 listens to get it), and once you do it's just a masterpiece. I might talk more about this song and what's behind it in a separate post, but for now just know that it slaps.
5. "Genocide"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Really catchy song. It has many catchy guitar riffs throughout the song that come together really well and make it what it is. Not one of the album's best but it is worth a listen.
6. "Something To Believe In"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: To me, it's one of the more forgettable tracks off of the album, but I'm not sure why I got that into my head because this song is great. The chorus rocks and gives the song a good feeling. But in terms of quality it doesn't quite match up with anything else I've talked about so far. Though it is still good.
7. "Come Out and Play"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: The story behind this song is really interesting and singer Dexter Holland did a great job writing about it. The way that the catchy melody and riffs were put behind those lyrics sounds great to me, although I think the mixing could be slightly better.
8. "Self Esteem"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: OH WAYYYYYY OOOOOOOOOH YEEEEEEEAH, YEEEEEEEAH....
While that may be how I feel when listening to the song, it's also a part that makes the song stand out and have a good vibe. I think calling it the band's best song is a bit extreme, because other songs like "The Kids Aren't Alright" and "Gone Away" exist, but I can sort of see why. Glad it was a hit, though.
9. "It'll Be a Long Time"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: This song sort of marks where the driving album tracks start, at least it's what I thought. It's not a perfect song, but I like it a lot and it plays a good role in defining this album.
10. "Killboy Powerhead"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Fun fact: This song is actually a cover, and I didn't know that until after I first listened to it. But it didn't affect my opinion on the song. It's short, but it goes hard for all 122 seconds and becomes sort of a standout because of it. It's hard to get sick of, which is also a plus.
11. "What Happened To You?"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: Although this is one of the album's weaker songs, it is still fun to listen to after how hard "Killboy Powerhead" goes. It's not a typical Offspring song, but they made a decent use out of this style.
12. "So Alone"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: This is really good for how short it is. Again, I think it's on the weaker side of the album, but it is still pretty good.
13. "Not the One"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: This sounds more like a straight-up Offspring song, and songs like these sort of helped the band develop the pop-punk style that they are known for today. Also, listen to the lyrics in this. They're pretty interesting and they make up a pretty interesting meaning.
14. "Smash"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: So, this track is very interesting, as it's sort of a four-in-one. Let's go through each part.
1. The final song on the album, called "Smash". I think it's a very good song about being yourself and not sticking with trends if you don't want to. Musically it is great as well. The rating comes from this song, by the way.
2. A short spoken coda that is the beginning of the end, at least to me. It says things like, "I hope you enjoyed our time together today," and something else about sitting back and enjoying the finer things in life. I'm pretty sure that means things like classical music, wine, cigarettes, and poetry, as I saw a video of Noodles saying he liked the finer things and then listed those. But aside from that, I think it's a cool outro that reflects on the album and helps end it on a good note.
3. A slowed-down reprise of the track "Genocide" that lasts for about a minute and five seconds. This riff was later used for Ixnay On The Hombre's closer, "Change the World". I really like the riff and reprise and it helped make "Change the World" as good as it is.
4. After about five minutes of silence, an acoustic reprise of "Come Out and Play" starts nine minutes and ten seconds in. I really like this reprise and think it's the perfect way to close out this amazing album. It's not quite as good as the "Pretty Fly" reprise from Americana, but it's still enjoyable.
OVERALL ALBUM SCORE
136.5/140 = 9.75/10 = 0.975 = 97.5%
FINAL WORDS
So that is the review. This was more than just another excuse for me to listen to this album, as I never thought I could dig deeper. I had fun doing it and I hope you had fun reading it. If you think that you would like this album after all I've said about it, then feel free to check it out on Spotify here or on YouTube here. I recommend it to anyone who just wants to hear something good, and I'm sure that's pretty much all of you. So go right ahead. You will love it. Thank you to anyone who read this far, and don't forget that you can suggest any post you want me to do and chances are, I will be glad to do it. You can comment here or talk to me on Discord if you want to suggest anything, but whatever it is, don't be afraid and just go for it. Thanks again and I'll see you guys next time!
Hey guys, welcome back to another album review! Today, we will be checking out the 1982 punk rock classic Milo Goes To College by the Descendents. I have heard that this band and album was an influence on many more modern punk bands I love, and that this record was loved by many great artists, such as Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters and Fat Mike of NOFX. It has also been recommended to me by both last.fm and Spotify based on my taste, so I think now is a great time to give it a listen. I have not heard anything from this band before today, so this will mostly be first impressions. It should be fun. Let's get to it!
INTRODUCTION Milo Goes To College is the debut album released by punk rock band the Descendents in 1982. Released through The Minutemen's label New Alliance Records, the album's title is a reference to how lead singer Milo Aukerman wanted to leave the band so he could attend college. The album's cover is supposed to be a drawing of Aukerman, and it later became the band's mascot, appearing on five of their seven studio albums. This record is often considered as one of the most significant albums of a hardcore movement taking place in Southern California in the early 1980s, and many publications have called it a very noteworthy punk album. Sounds like a pretty good album, right? Well, let's listen to it and see. It's only 22 minutes long so it shouldn't be that grating.
REVIEW
So my first impression of this band's sound and style is that it's very punk. It has the sound of the bass that I'm used to hearing in punk music, and the hardcore feel created by the drums and driving power chords. Singer Milo Aukerman sounds a bit different than I expected, as I expected him to sound a little bit like Greg Graffin of Bad Religion. Not sure why but I just did. But I like his voice okay, it's not the best in punk but it does well. And going on into the second and third tracks the bass, provided by Tony Lombardo, really stands out as what it should be. The bass is a fundamental part of punk rock music and if a band has a great bassist like him then they have a great foundation for making everything else good. I read some about him before and I learned about his playing technique and how he practices, and I thought that was very unique and inspiring. Plus, he's 20 years older than the other band members, which was kind of amusing. Maybe that plays a part in why he seems to be so talented? I don't know.
As for the style in this album, some of the songs remind me a lot of Bad Religion's 1982 album How Could Hell Be Any Worse. I plan on reviewing that album in full in a future post, but I'll just say here that that record has a very distinct style of punk rock that turns out to be unforgettable. Because it's so unforgettable, I thought of that record when I heard a lot of the songs on this one. I'm not saying that this is copying that record or trying too hard to be like it or anything, because that record came out in the same year as this one, I just like to hear that sound. Frank Navetta provides great guitars that help give it this vibe and just a great punk sound in general. Unfortunately, though, about a quarter of a century after leaving the band, he became ill and ultimately passed away, so #RIPFrankNavetta I guess. And drummer Bill Stevenson, who is actually the band's only constant member, did a great job drumming, because fast and upbeat drums really help in making a good punk sound. He seems to be good at that. Also, he wrote or co-wrote six of the album's songs, which is pretty good for someone you wouldn't expect to help with the writing. I think the album was well-produced as well, so props to producer Spot for that. Really everything in this album is at least under the good or decent tier, and I can see now why it's so iconic. I think the icony sort of comes from the album's sound rather than the songs on it, but I will go through each of those anyways. Here are my short reviews of each track.
TRACK-BY-TRACK REVIEWS
1. "Myage"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: This song gave me a really good first impression of this band, and that is always good. Lombardo's bass in the song is great and the punk sound here is real. Definitely a keeper.
2. "I Wanna Be a Bear"
Rating: 8.5/10
Comments: This was short but pretty sweet. The good vibes continue to go on here and it's cool.
3. "I'm Not a Loser"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: This song was pretty catchy and the lyrics somewhat stood out for some reason.
4. "Parents"
Rating: 8/10
Comments: The bass stands out a bit here again and I love that. But the lyrics are a bit questionable. They sound a bit like something from a 2000s emo or post grunge song. And I'm not too sure that belongs in punk rock. But I don't mind it too much, I guess.
5. "Tony Age"
Rating: 7/10
Comments: The talking parts here are not the best, but the instrumental is good.
6. "M-16"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: This was catchy, not exactly a keeper but it came really close.
7. "I'm Not a Punk"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: I immediately got some early Bad Religion vibes from that opening instrumental. They sort of continued into the song and I kind of enjoyed that. It sets this song apart.
8. "Catalina"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: Again, that bass in the intro always seems to set a great stage for the song. And I hear a little bit of early Bad Religion in this, too. I like their early style and it's good to hear another band that does it.
9. "Suburban Home"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: Catchy song, the guitars work very well with Aukerman's singing. A very well made punk song.
10. "Statue of Liberty"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: I promise I'll shut up about early Bad Religion after this, but seriously, that kind of style in songs like this makes them good for me. Not every song has it but a lot of the ones that do, like this one, are keepers.
11. "Kabuki Girl"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: The guitars here seem to stand out, as they give the song a great vibe. Everything else is good as well.
12. "Marriage"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: The great classic punk sound shows up a lot here. I like Aukerman's singing and the guitars accompany it very well. That makes for a good song.
13. "Hope"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: I liked this one a lot. Not sure why but it reminded me a lot of the song "Happy Guy" from NOFX's Punk In Drublic. And this is the third-to-last song in the album just like that one, so it's obviously good like it is.
14. "Bikeage"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: Another keeper here. All of the instruments come together here to form a great background track to accompany the great singing from Aukerman. Exactly what I want to hear.
15. "Jean Is Dead"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: The bass strikes again here. And this seems to be Aukerman at his best because the song sort of feels like an anthem. Great way to close this out.
Favorite songs: "Myage", "Bikeage", "Hope", "I'm Not a Punk", and pretty much all the other 9.5/10s
Least favorite songs: "Tony Age", "Parents", "I Wanna Be a Bear", although I liked all of the songs on this.
OVERALL ALBUM SCORE
135.5/150 = 9.03333/10 = 0.903333 = 90.3333%
FINAL WORDS
Well, I think that what everyone said about this album is true. It was a great listen. The punk sound here topped all, and all of the instruments came together very nicely to make something that really pleased my ears. I would definitely listen to it again. And I recommend it to anyone who wants to know what early punk rock sounds like. You won't get many later punk vibes from it, but the early ones are good enough.
And that will wrap up this post. Thank you to everyone who read it, and if you think that this album might be one that you would enjoy listening to, then you can check it out on YouTube here or on Spotify here. Also, if you have any suggestions for future posts, whether it's an album, song, or chart for me to review, or a top ten, then I would be glad to do it, so please contact me wherever to give me those. So yeah, thanks again and I'll see you guys again soon!
DISCLAIMER: This may seem like a joke post to some people, but I just want to let you know that it isn't and that this will actually be a good post and series for discussing music.
Hey guys, and welcome to the start of a new series on this blog! It's called Battle of the Music, and it's basically where I put two songs, artists, or albums up against each other and will decide which one is better based on a multitude of things. I feel like this specific battle will be a good way to kick off this series, and I have another artist one planned for another time, so this should be really fun. So let's get into it!
INTRODUCTION
"Dirty Magic" is a song recorded by punk rock band The Offspring. It is the sixth track from their sophomore album Ignition, which was originally released on October 16, 1992. The song was not released as a single, but it is a huge fan favorite. Because it wasn't released a single, I don't know much other information about it other than that it is the only song off of Ignition that frontman Dexter Holland plays lead guitar on.
"Dirty Magic" is also a song by The Offspring, released as the ninth track on their ninth album Days Go By on June 26, 2012. It is basically a re-recorded and remastered version of the 1992 version that appears on Ignition. The band re-recorded this song not only because a lot of older fans had requested them to do it, but also because, as Dexter once said, the original version felt really rushed to him, as it was only recorded in about two hours. He wanted the band to redo it so it could sound like he originally wanted it to sound. So he did.
In this post, I will be comparing these two versions of one song and seeing which one is overall better. I will be taking five different things into consideration when coming up with a verdict, which is really what I will talk about as we go along. So yeah, let's get this started!
PRODUCTION
I think the production of the 1992 version of the song is good at best. Thom Wilson, the album's producer, wasn't the best rock producer out there, but there were some really decent songs that he produced when working with The Offspring. While this is one of them, it certainly doesn't top how well-produced lots of their other songs and albums were. However, I do feel like it's the production that helps give the song sort of a nostalgic feel. But more on that later. Not the best production in the 1992 version because it's not too clear and bright compared to some of the other songs off Ignition such as "We Are One" and "L.A.P.D." But I still enjoy it sort of because of the vibe it helps give.
The 2012 version is a different story. I usually am not able to tell the difference between original versions and remastered versions of songs very well, but this song is an exception. The production of this version, which was handled by Bob Rock, is so different that it sort of makes this feel like a whole different song. It's easier to interpret, for one thing, and it just makes the song feel brighter and more energetic. I really enjoy how this newer version was produced, so much that it tops the production of the 1992 version, at least for me.
Winner: "Dirty Magic" (Days Go By version)
LYRICS
...yeah, there's not too much to be said here because the lyrics in these two songs are pretty much exactly the same. The only real difference I notice is at the beginning of the chorus. In the Ignition version, the first lines of the chorus are, "Pull the shades, razor blades, you're so tragic." But in the Days Go By version, the words "go on" are added right before everything, making it, "Go on and pull the shades, razor blades, you're so tragic." I think this change is good and makes the chorus feel slightly more full. However, what I do think might be even better is if for the first time or two, they sing the chorus without the "go on", and then add it in the second half of the song. That would be cool to me.
But as for the meaning, they are pretty much the same. According to songfacts.com, the song is about self-harm, which kind of makes sense considering some of the lyrics. The 1992 version sounds a lot darker and might help to convey the meaning slightly more than the 2012 version, but that also means that the 2012 version may or may not be one of those songs that sounds kind of energetic and happy but secretly has a dark meaning behind it. But I'm not really taking that into consideration because that has more to do with the production than it does the lyrics. What I will take into consideration is that the 2012 version gave me a great idea for something that would sound really cool in the song, and because it already sort of does, that gives me my verdict here.
Winner: "Dirty Magic" (Days Go By version)
VOCALS
I will try not to spend too much time going over these because my verdict for this is pretty easy. But I really think that the vocals on the Days Go By version are better just because they're more clear and remastered. I am pretty close to the point where I can call the ones on the Ignition version not very good to me just because they don't sound too clear and just kind of messy, not to mention that they don't fit the best with the song. Easy choice here.
Winner: "Dirty Magic" (Days Go By version)
INSTRUMENTS
The two versions of this track have pretty much the same instruments, but for some reason the guitar riff from the Ignition version kind of sticks out to me. It's a really catchy riff that is good no matter what version of the song it's on, but there seem to be slightly different effects on both versions of it. And as an electric guitar player myself I can tell that there's just a little more reverb on the Ignition version than on the Days Go By version. And I don't know why, but I kind of enjoy that reverb. It sounds good with the rest of the song to me and makes the riff a standout one. Also, it was the 1992 version that made me want to learn how to play it on the guitar (which I did), which is good to know for this.
As for other instruments, I think the second guitar that comes in the background didn't really stick out to me until I heard the Ignition version. I really like that guitar, so I have to thank the 1992 version for showing me that. The bass here doesn't really stick out any, unlike a lot of other Offspring songs and other punk songs in general, but I assume it does a good job in doing what it should be doing. Shoutout to Greg K. for that. I like the drums in this song, and for certain reasons I think they're slightly easier to analyze in the 1992 version. I guess that makes my point here clear: I don't really know why but I think the instruments on the 1992 version stick out to me more.
Winner: "Dirty Magic" (Ignition version)
VIBE/FEEL
This is a tough one to decide on. While I didn't praise the production of the 1992 version too terribly much, I think the nostalgic sort of feel it has in it is very cool. It's probably the best thing about the song in my opinion. However, I also really like how the 2012 version feels to me. There are lots of songs off of Days Go By that have just a good rock song sort of feel in them, including "The Future Is Now", "Secrets From The Underground", "Cruising California (Bumpin' In My Trunk)", and "All I Have Left Is You", and I think that that album's version of "Dirty Magic" is no exception. It just has a really good feel to it, although I can't exactly explain what it is. I really don't know whether or not to pick the awesome nostalgic vibe or the amazing Days Go By kind of feel. But if I called this one a tie, it wouldn't do anything to the final verdict, so that's fine.
Winner: TIE
OVERALL VERDICT
I honestly had sort of a feeling that this battle would end out like this. So the winner of this battle, with a score of 3.5 to 1.5 is...
"Dirty Magic" (Days Go By version)
FINAL WORDS
So that's it for this post! I thought it was very fun and I'm looking forward to doing it again. Thank you to anyone who read it, and if you think these songs sound cool, just look them up and listen to them because I'm too lazy to link them this time. I recommend both of them even if I think the Days Go By version is better. But yeah, I have nothing else for now, so I'll see you guys next time!
Hello music fans, and welcome back to another post! I know I said my next post would be something 2018-related, and that post is currently on the assembly line and should be finished eventually. But it's been two weeks since I last posted anything, so I'm just doing this because I just wanted to leave something in here while I continue working on my 2018 post (and because I love this album). So let's do this!
INTRODUCTION Dookie is the third studio album by rock band Green Day, released on February 1, 1994, and the album that propelled them to success. This Rob Cavallo-produced record received loads of critical acclaim along with a Grammy, and has sold over twenty million copies around the world, the most for a Green Day album. Five hit singles spawned out of this album, which were, in order, "Longview", a re-recorded version of "Welcome to Paradise" from Kerplunk, "Basket Case", "When I Come Around", and "She". All five of these songs reached the top ten on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart, with "Longview", "Basket Case", and "When I Come Around" being number one hits on that chart.
REVIEW
This album is a big portion of why Green Day has come to be one of my favorite bands. When you think of Green Day, you might think of them as being big in the alternative rock scene because of songs like "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", "Wake Me Up When September Ends", and "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)". But when I think of Green Day, one of the first words that pops into my head is punk. I think Green Day is a great punk rock band. They have songs like "Minority" and "American Idiot" that have sort of a cool punk-ish vibe to it, but they don't beat anything on this album. Excluding stuff from The Offspring and maybe Lit and Bad Religion, this is punk music at its best. I can't put it any other way. It's no surprise that this record and The Offspring's Smash played a big part in making punk music go mainstream in the mid-90s, because it's very hard to top.
There's many things that make this album a good punk record. I've listened to enough punk albums to know what punk is supposed to sound like, and I can immediately tell that this is one of them. First of all, not every rock singer can contribute to a good punk album in a good way. But Billie Joe Armstrong is one of them. His vocals are great throughout the whole thing. He is also the only guitarist in Green Day, so I will praise him for the powerful power chords that help shape the songs on this album. This also proves why Mike Dirnt is one of my favorite rock bassists, because his contributions on the bass go along with the album perfectly. Another thing I think makes this album truly punk is the drums, so I will give Tre Cool lots of props for that. I'm not paying attention to the lyrics of this album for every second of it, but what I've heard sounds interesting considering how good of a songwriter Billie Joe is. I mean, he released his first record when he was 5, so you can't really go wrong with him. As for everything else, this album was produced well, so thanks to Rob Cavallo for that. I also like how there aren't any songs over four minutes on this album, and although there are only 15 songs on it it's only 38 minutes long. It's a characteristic of a lot of punk albums that I've come to notice over time. So yeah, I think this really shows the punk side of Green Day in a great way. When you hear an style of album you'd usually hear from a more classic band like Bad Religion or NOFX from a more modern band like Green Day, that's just cool to me. I enjoyed that a lot. Not much else to say, so let's review each track!
TRACK-BY-TRACK REVIEWS
1. "Burnout"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: This song has a good punk feel to it that I'm definitely used to hearing by now. That may sound like a bad thing but it's really not.
2. "Having A Blast"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I wish Green Day made way more songs like this. This sounds very good. The guitars work well with the song, which I always love hearing.
3. "Chump"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: It could have slightly more to it, but the punk vibes are real here, and I always love punk vibes.
4. "Longview"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: This is one of the weaker singles off the album to me, but I still really enjoy it. The lyrics are interesting, so listening to this song can be like listening to an audio-short story. I enjoy that.
5. "Welcome to Paradise"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I haven't heard the original version of this song before, but this song is just so good. I'm not sure why it wasn't one of my first Green Day songs because it is in the upper ranks of their best songs. I will never turn down an opportunity to listen to this because every aspect of it is up there in the ranks.
6. "Pulling Teeth"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: This is a little different than the first five tracks on the album, but it's still fun to hear. I wouldn't call it true punk but it is true good music.
7. "Basket Case"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: This is everything I love about punk all in one song. It's so hugely acclaimed by critics for a reason. And if I don't think that this masterpiece is the best song off the album, it has to be on a pretty good one.
8. "She"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: That surging bass at the beginning is a perfect way to slam on the gas pedal and make this song go the way it needs to. I love it. adds to rock playlist
9. "Sassafras Roots"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: There's a lot of energy in this song and I always love to hear that. It goes hard and I love songs that go hard. A score for me.
10. "When I Come Around"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: This is kind of a more chill song than most of what's on the album, but it does work for me. I was pretty into it for a while after I first heard it, and while it's not as good now, I'm still satisfied with how big of a hit it was.
11. "Coming Clean"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: This song is short but every second is useful. Very good punk song here.
12. "Emenius Sleepus"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: Bassist Mike Dirnt wrote this song, which was interesting to listen to. I like his songwriting and want to hear more now.
13. "In the End"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: This is obviously not better than the Linkin Park song of the same title, but I'm getting some massive Bad Religion vibes from this song, which is fun to hear from a band like Green Day.
14. "F.O.D."
Rating: 9/10
Comments: I had to turn my earbuds up a bit to hear what was going on in the first half, so when it broke in it scared me a little. But when it does break in it sounds great and like the rest of the album.
15. "All By Myself"
Rating: N/A
Comments: Unlike the rest of the album, this song is a hidden track performed by drummer Tre Cool, so it was fun to hear a change. But it's a hidden track on the CD version, so it's not really an actual song that I'll rate.
ALBUM RANKDOWN
Ugh...I really just don't want to do this for this album just because with all of the great songs on it, it would actually be a difficult task. Let's just say that my top 3, in order, are "Welcome to Paradise", "Basket Case", and "Having A Blast".
OVERALL ALBUM SCORE
134/140 = 9.57/10 = 0.957 = 95.7%
FINAL WORDS I C O N Y. That is this album in one word. Everything about it shines and really shows how great of a band Green Day is. If you are curious to hear what punk music sounds like but have no idea where to begin, this is a perfect place, especially if your taste is more mainstream-oriented. If you like pop music that can often get wild, you will love this album, I promise. If it sounds cool, then you can listen to it on Spotify here or on YouTube here.
So that wraps up this awful album review! Thank you to everyone who read it, and I'll see you next time hopefully with that 2018 post I need to finish!
Well, it's been over two weeks since I last did an album review, and since I randomly put some Three Days Grace albums on my Spotify queue today, I feel like today is a perfect time to review this album! So let's crank it right out!
INTRODUCTION One-X is the second album from Canadian rockers Three Days Grace, first released on June 13, 2006. This was their first album to feature Barry Stock on lead guitar, as they were previously a trio. The album was very acclaimed by critics and sold pretty well, debuting at #2 on the Canadian Albums Chart and at #5 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. Many of the album's songs were written while lead singer Adam Gontier was in rehabilitation for a drug addiction, unlike what they had usually done. Because of this, lots of the lyrics in the album are pretty dark because Gontier was often writing about how he felt at the time. The critics didn't seem to mind this, though, as the reviews for this record were still pretty positive. So, what do I think about the themes throughout here and how dark it can be? Let's look in and see.
REVIEW
I like to call this album and Three Days Grace's music in general a harder and less poppy variation of a band like My Chemical Romance. They are always described as alternative metal, and I think that's accurate. But I think the lyrical themes in this album are similar to what you'd hear from My Chemical Romance or any other emo band, such as Dashboard Confessional or Simple Plan. Things did change for the band when Adam Gontier was battling his addiction, and I guess how deep the lyrics could go was one of them, because I think there are only about three or four songs on their self-titled album that would fit on here. But to be honest, I kind of enjoy the darker themes from this album. Sometimes, it's just fun to indulge yourself in a video game or something while listening to some kind of deep music, and I feel like this is a great album to listen to for occasions like that. It's satisfying to me sometimes. All of Three Days Grace's first three albums are ones I would use for that occasion, which is an honor because I'd usually just queue some random songs and roll with that. So yeah, I like how deep it goes, even if some people would get bothered by it.
As for the singles, I think the choices were pretty well-made. "Animal I Have Become" is a great choice as the lead single. It's basically about how Gontier was feeling while he was on drugs, and that's what motivated a lot of the darker themes from this album. I think the other three singles were good choices as well because the stories behind them are easily noticeable and stand out when compared to the rest of the album's songs. I do think "Riot" should have been a bigger hit, but I guess it's understandable that it wasn't because it's not as radio-friendly as the other three singles are.
The album tracks are also all unique in their own way. I'll get into specifics when I review each track, but I'll just say for now that they all are at least somewhat dark and sort of sound like they were written by someone like who Gontier was at the time. They also have the hard rock theme going in them, which for me is always very fun to hear. There's really not much stuff in this album that isn't fun to hear in my opinion. It's sort of unique in a good way. Gontier has a lot of great vocal performances throughout the album, too. They help the songs sound really good. Other than that, I don't really know what else to add. So let's review each track.
TRACK-BY-TRACK REVIEWS
1. "It's All Over"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: I like how an album full of big rock hits opens up with an album track that is lesser known. This is a cool song to open it. It could have more to it but it's still fun.
2. "Pain"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I talked a lot about this song in my top 10 Three Days Grace songs post, but in short, the harder feel in this song is cool and I like the story behind the lyrics. This song really helps define the album in my opinion.
3. "Animal I Have Become"
Rating: 11 10/10
Comments: Yay, this masterpiece again! Revisiting it as a part of this album is fun because it fits with the album perfectly. This record would not be the same without it. As for why, I talked about it in my top 10 post for these guys, but it is really fun despite having a really dark theme. Three Days Grace are good at this and this song proves it.
4. "Never Too Late"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: This is just a song about not giving up and finding light in dark situations. It is performed very well and it shows what these guys can do. I enjoy it a lot.
5. "On My Own"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: I think this is one of the better album tracks from this album. It's very hard and I like it that way.
6. "Riot"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: LET'S START A RIOT!!! A RIOT!!! LET'S START A RIOT!!!!!!
Seriously, though, this is the perfect example of an amazing hard rock song that I could listen to for hours at a time and not get tired of. The tone in this song is just so angry and I love that for some reason. And it's not even my favorite song on the album, which says quite a bit.
7. "Get Out Alive"
Rating: 8.5/10
Comments: This is not an average Three Days Grace song, as it's kind of slow up until after the second chorus. But I still think it was made very well.
8. "Let It Die"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: This is by far my favorite album track from this record. It's not my overall favorite Three Days Grace album track (we'll be seeing that song when I review Life Starts Now), but it is a stand-out song for me. Adam Gontier sounds very good throughout the song and the guitars accompany that pretty well. A definite score for me here.
9. "Over and Over"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: This is a slightly less energetic version of "It's All Over" to me. I enjoy it, it's just not one of my go-to songs from this album.
10. "Time of Dying"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: This was a song I got into after a few listens to this album. The chorus here stands out and makes the song as good as it is.
11. "Gone Forever"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: Another good deep hard rock song. It's a good example of what to expect when hearing an album like this or a song by a band like this.
12. "One-X"
Rating: 8/10
Comments: While I enjoy this song, I was never really a huge fan of it. It feels a little too out of place for me for some reason. But what is in place works well and makes the song sound decent.
ALBUM RANKDOWN
1. "Animal I Have Become"
2. "Riot"
3. "Pain"
4. "Never Too Late"
5. "Let It Die"
6. "Time of Dying"
7. "On My Own"
8. "Gone Forever"
9. "It's All Over"
10. "Over and Over"
11. "Get Out Alive"
12. "One-X"
FINAL WORDS
This album is awesome! It's exactly what a great hard rock album should sound like musically, and lyrically it has some interesting themes that just captivate me even more. Hard rock is not for everyone, but if you think it's for you, you can listen to this album on Spotify here or on YouTube here. I highly recommend it to any rock fans looking for something to listen to. Also, I recommend this video from last fall of Adam Gontier as a surprise guest at a Breaking Benjamin concert and performing "Animal I Have Become" with them. It's really cool seeing him with another band and the crowd being really into it. Really fun stuff.
And that brings this post to an end. Thank you to anyone who read it, and be sure to leave any suggestions for me if there's a post you'd like to see me do! Have a great rest of your Christmas day and I'll see you guys soon!
Well, after reviewing lots of their albums, this post is finally here! I've been waiting for a while to find the right time to make it, and for certain reasons I feel like that time is now. So welcome, everyone, to this post talking about my ten favorite songs from The Offspring! So let's do it!
INTRODUCTION
The Offspring is a punk rock band formed in Garden Grove, California, in 1984. Originally named Manic Subsidal, the band's starting origins were in 1983, when two friends and cross country teammates, drummer Bryan "Dexter" Holland and bassist Greg Kriesel often played music in a garage together. However, two things made this duo motivated to start a full band: Their failure to get into a Social Distortion concert and their hearing of T.S.O.L.'s album Change Today? at a party. So they did. The original lineup consisted of Doug Thompson on lead vocals, Jim Benton on drums, Kriesel, and Holland, who had switched from drums to guitar. Thompson and Benton departed the band shortly after forming it, though, so Holland became the band's lead vocalist and James Lilja became the band's drummer. They also added additional guitarist Marcus Parrish for a short period of time, but in 1985, school janitor Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman replaced him because he was old enough to buy alcohol for the other members, who were not yet old enough to do so. Manic Subsidal changed their name to The Offspring in 1986, when they released their first demo tape that contained the single "I'll Be Waiting". Lilja left the band soon after and was replaced by teenager Ron Welty. Three years later, they recorded and released their self-titled debut album with producer Thom Wilson after signing with a smaller record label. They toured nationally for six weeks to support the album. They recorded another EP and demo with Wilson in 1991 before going back to the studio the next year to record their second album, Ignition. That album, which helped give the band the right to tour with Pennywise, Lunachicks, and NOFX, was released in October of 1992. Just two years later, they went to the studio again to record their album Smash, which was released on April 8, 1994. This album is what got the band into the mainstream and high up on the charts. In fact, this album smashed the record for the most album sales by an independent label band. It has been certified platinum six times by the RIAA to this day. Motivated by this success, they went on to release three more albums in the next six years: Ixnay On The Hombre, Americana, and Conspiracy of One. While none of these albums were as successful as Smash, they all helped the band reach even higher heights of fame. Following the unexplained departure of drummer Welty in 2003, the band recruited Josh Freese to record drums for their seventh album Splinter. This record was released in December of 2003, and shortly after they got Atom Willard to replace Welty. After releasing a greatest hits album and touring for it in 2005, the band decided to take a break from writing, recording, and touring. But that didn't last long, as they were back in the studio by late 2006 to record their eighth album. Freese drummed on this album, although new drummer Pete Parada was recruited before the album, titled Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace, was released. It was released on June 17, 2008. Their next album was planned to be released in 2010, but in order to tour more they pushed it back. The record, Days Go By, was released in the summer of 2012. Their long-awaited tenth album has yet to be released, but since Holland finished the work for his Ph.D. and the band put out a new song this summer, Noodles says that two separate albums will be coming pretty soon! So while we wait for those, I'm here to count down my favorite songs from this band. This list was hard to make because I love so many songs from them, but I did it, so let's present it!
Also, one more note for this list. Because using every single song they've made would be extremely hard to work with, only songs officially released as singles in the U.S. are eligible for this list. It does exclude a lot of album tracks that I can call favorites of theirs, including "Secrets From The Underground", "Spare Me The Details", and "Dammit, I Changed Again", but it makes it easier to work with, so I'm putting that down. That said, let's get this over with!
10. Pretty Fly (For a White Guy) (from Americana)
Let's start off with a song I'm pretty sure all of us have heard at some point in our lives. We just often didn't know the name of it or who it was by. But I'm glad that I do because I can listen to it on my own time, and trust me, I have done that plenty, as it's my 37th most played song ever according to last.fm at the time of me typing this. I just think the song is really fun, and you can tell that just from the title. It has a very playful production that gives the song a happy tone, and Dexter sings very well throughout the song. The lyrics in the song are about a white guy from the suburbs trying to act like they're a gangster from the ghetto or something along the lines of that. Dexter even said once that he had met a lot of boys like that in Orange County (where he lives), so that could have been what inspired him to write this song. The music video, which is what's embedded above, shows this pretty well if you're unsure of what I'm talking about. There is a white man in the video that is dressed like a wannabe gangster that is walking around acting like one throughout the video, which is the perfect way to represent the song in my opinion. Even if it's bad to be one of these people, the song is still really fun and energetic which I love to hear from bands like The Offspring. I'm pleased with how popular this song it is because it's pretty iconic. Not the best song off of Americana, but it is one of the songs that makes that album really stick out.
9. Self Esteem (from Smash)
Believe it or not, this is the only single from Smash to appear on this list. Don't get me wrong, Smash is a beyond amazing and iconic album, it just doesn't have many songs that stand out too much against the rest of their discography. Except there's this song. You might even have heard this song before because it was a huge hit around the globe, reaching number one in Lithuania, Latvia, Sweden, and Norway. Lots of critics even call it the best and most iconic Offspring song. While I personally disagree with this, I can see why they think this. This isn't the most upbeat song out there, but it does still sound pretty fun. I'm not really sure what the meaning behind the song is, but that's okay because not every song has to have a real meaning like "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)" does. I think the guitars in this song also work out well and fit with the style of the song. But my favorite part is Dexter. This song has always been one of my personal favorite vocal performances from him, especially when it comes down to that awesome chorus. That's what really makes the song stand out in my opinion. It's definitely not my favorite Offspring song, unlike what others think, but that doesn't mean it isn't amazing, either.
8. Hit That (from Splinter)
This is the only Splinter song that will be on this list, unfortunately. I did discuss that in my review for that album, saying that there were only two singles from this album because most of it isn't too radio friendly, but that's okay because there are more amazing songs to come after this. This is also not my favorite Splinter song, but my favorite one wasn't a single in the U.S., so I think this is the better of the two U.S. singles from there. Aside from that issue, this song is really nothing but fun. It is a bit of a step away from The Offspring's usual style, but that happens sometimes so it's okay. I don't know much about the meaning of the song, but Dexter sounds really good when singing about whatever that is, which is great. It's not the loudest rock song out there, but it's not the quietest either. But yeah, I really just enjoy listening to this not because of a cool story behind it or an awesome vocal performance, I just do because it's fun and I love fun. Not much else to say about this one. It's definitely not my favorite alternative song of 2004, but it is one of the highlights from that category.
7. Half-Truism (from Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace)
The first of three Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace singles to appear on this list, this one caught my attention from the very first listen. It's not very uptempo, but it does sound very good with the amazing guitars and Dexter's amazing vocals. I've browsed the web a lot for possibilities as to what the lyrics in this song are saying, because it does sound like they're saying something to me. But I can come to the conclusion that no one really knows that for sure. That's okay, though, because I love the song either way. I have not talked Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace yet, but I'd like to make a post on it pretty soon because it is a very good album that I think I would have a lot of fun talking about. It's mainly the three singles from the album that appear on this list, including this one, and some of the album tracks that get my attention as well ("Takes Me Nowhere", "Nothingtown", "Stuff Is Messed Up", etc.) that motivate me to talk about it. So I hope to do that soon. But for now, this song is amazing and really shows what the band can do. Even though this wasn't too big of a hit, it's a pretty good place for an aspiring Offspring fan to start because of that.
6. Hammerhead (from Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace)
Oh, look, here's another single from Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace that I can call a major Offspring favorite of mine. Actually, if I had to be honest, there are only two real differences between this and "Half-Truism": This was a much bigger hit and this actually has an interesting meaning behind it that people know about. So, anyone remember that 2011 song "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster The People that was about a school shooting? Well, the meaning in this song is very similar to that. Both Dexter and Noodles have confirmed that the song is from the perspective of a gunman initiating a school shooting, which is a very interesting perspective to write from. And I think they did it pretty well. Dexter's vocal performance here is also one of the best off of the album in my opinion. Also, I think the guitars in the song fit very well with the song. I like how before the bridge it starts off with a new riff only on the bass, then the guitar breaks in and it gets really lit from there. The energy in this song helps it be what it is in my opinion as well. So yeah, this song is amazing and while it's not quite my favorite song off the album, it is still an extremely fun listen even if the meaning is sort of dark.
5. Original Prankster (feat. Redman) (from Conspiracy of One)
First of all, I'd like to mention that the video for this song is amazing and goes with the song perfectly, so be sure to watch that if you decide to listen to this song. Second of all, YES! Out of all artists that The Offspring could collaborate with to make a song, they chose an amazing rapper that has a lot of talent, and that makes me very glad, especially considering that he's an affiliate of my favorite rap artist Wu-Tang Clan. And since he's basically the 10th member of the Clan because of how much they've collaborated, this is basically a collaboration between my two favorite music artists, which is nothing but epic. The song is catchy in pretty much every way, and just like "Hit That", it's really nothing but fun. As for the meaning, well, you can watch the video for it if you want to find that out. Other than Redman's cool contributions to the song and video, that's pretty much it. This is definitely my favorite single from Conspiracy of One, even with some really cool other ones on there. I recommend this song (and this band) for anyone who loves fun rock songs like one called "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)" because that's basically what it is.
4. You're Gonna Go Far, Kid (from Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace)
Even though this song was a hit only ten years ago, it's extremely iconic to the point that doesn't even matter. It even just sounds that way in the song. That's how cool it is. And to be honest, that's really the only reason why I love this song. It just feels really good, even if the meaning isn't too bright. Speaking of the meaning, I've done research and concluded it has something to do with the government, probably along the lines of them manipulating their people. That doesn't stick with me too much, but what does is a lot better. There aren't as many guitars present in this song as I'm used to, but they make the background of the song at least somewhat memorable. And Dexter sounds amazing as usual. There's also the fact that while this was not the first Offspring song I listened to on my own time (that was "Days Go By" for some reason), this was the first one that I kind of got into and looked forward to listening to after I first heard it. And as you can see by its placing on this list, it remains as one of my favorite singles from them to this day. Very good song that deserves to be one of their most commercially successful ones.
So it is now time for our top three. These three songs are not my top three overall favorite Offspring songs, but they are all still flawless songs that make this band very amazing for me. I have already done an in-depth review for one of them, so I won't have much to say about it, but as for the other two, I might have quite a bit to say about them, so bear with me as I do this. Let's get started now.
3. I Choose (from Ixnay On The Hombre)
So the only two Ixnay On The Hombre singles on this list are in the top three. Pretty impressive. The fourth and final single from the album is the first of them. It took me a few listens to get into this song, but I did, and it was just so good once that happened. So let's start off with the basics. The guitar riff that keeps the song flowing is really simple, as it's easy to play on guitar, but it's really awesome at the same time, with the muted chords and all. The bass is good, too, because it helps the first half of each verse go along pretty smoothly. Dexter's vocals are very good as usual, and while he has a lot of amazing vocal performances on Ixnay On The Hombre, this is one of the best. And the chorus is the best part. You really have to listen to that to see the deal. Okay, now for the fun part. I enjoyed the song a lot when I was first into it, but when I found out the meaning behind it, everything changed for me. In short, it's just one of those songs about life and how unfair it can be to you. But in depth, it's about how even though life is often that way, you have the ability to choose (hence the title) to turn it around and look at it more positively. This song's lyrics about this theme are just totally on point in my opinion and could not have been any better. It really helps the song take shape and click with the listener. That combined with how catchy and energy-filled the song is makes for something totally awesome. I have not talked much about Ixnay On The Hombre yet, but I do plan to give it a review when it turns 21 years old this February, so stay tuned for that. But until then, we have this amazing song plus another amazing song from that album which is...
2. Gone Away (from Ixnay On The Hombre)
New music fans might have heard of this song because heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch covered it recently for their seventh album And Justice For None. But that cover is so bad that I could not even make it through the whole thing. This is just not a good song to cover and I'll explain why in a minute. But for those of you that have heard of this song only because of that cover, please stop what you're doing right now and listen to the original version, because it's so much better that it doesn't even compare to the Five Finger Death Punch version. If you think it's good then replace the cover with this in your playlists, because you don't need to be listening to that awful cover. So now onto the song. I think the drum line that starts off the song is great and gets the song started pretty well. When the guitars come in, it starts getting pretty lit. I like that guitar riff that comes at the beginning and in the chorus. After the intro, it slows down a little for the verse and then jumps back in for the chorus. It's basically that back and forth for the whole song, which I enjoy. Now onto the lyrical content. Basically, Dexter wrote this song after his girlfriend died in a car crash, and this song is about what he felt after that happened. It's so strong that you can feel the emotion that he feels by listening to his voice in this song. Just amazing. That is also exactly why most of the time this is not a good song to cover. When hearing the Five Finger Death Punch version of this song, you can't feel any emotion in Ivan Moody's voice at all because I don't think he had anyone close to him pass away before he performed the song. If any other artist, even if it was one of my favorites, did this, it would probably be just as bad because you can't feel the emotion that you're supposed to feel with this. And that's exactly what sets this song apart from the others. You can tell that there was a lot of effort put into this song because it's about something personal that can't be copied by others easily. And that's why I love it so much that it's easily one of the fifty or so best songs I've ever heard before. Great job, guys.
1. The Kids Aren't Alright (from Americana)
Well, I'm pretty sure this was expected because this was the only Offspring song to appear on my top 25 songs of all-time list I did back a month or two ago. Because I already did a pretty in-depth review of this song in that post, I won't get too much into it here. But I love this song because it's a perfect representation of what this band can do. It's not just an outright nothing but fun song like "Hit That", and it's not a super deep and emotional song like "Gone Away". It's right in between, which is great. It is one of the band's most uptempo songs as well, which accounts for a whole lot of energy. Even if it is very fast, it flows super well. All of the guitar riffs here sound great, and I love the short but sweet solo as well. The song is about Dexter going back to the neighborhood that he grew up in only to see that everything is not as great as it used to be, which I enjoy very much. Dexter sings very well in this song, which is also cool because it is pretty different from most of the songs off of Americana. So yeah, if you want to see more about this, you can check out that post I linked. This song is truly incredible and exactly what I want to hear in a great punk rock song. My ears were extremely pleased after being introduced to this flawlessness, and I'm sure yours will as well. ;)
And with that, this post is officially done! I'd like to give a big thanks to anyone who made it this far, as I really appreciate that. Also, if you have any suggestions for future posts, please feel free to share them because I will not turn down anything. And I will most likely not post anything else before Christmas, so I want to wish you guys a merry Christmas as well! Hope it goes well! Other than that I recommend all of these songs to anyone looking for good rock songs to listen to, I have nothing else to say here. Thanks for reading again and have a great Christmas!
