THESE ARE PRETTY FLY FOR WHITE GUYS (Americana - Offspring)

Member Name: C_Padd

Product:	Americana - Offspring
Date:	13/11/01 (142 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good, high energy music, plenty of guitars and drumming

Disadvantages: Some may not like the new pop from punk style

The Offspring really hit the big time in the UK with this album ‘Americana’. Certainly I had not heard of them till then, and the single ‘Pretty Fly’ was the first I ever heard of the America punk rockers. This album was released a few years back by the foursome, and really set them up as one of the CD I could not stop playing.

Basically the Offspring are a punk band, toned down. Their music is alive, consisting of strong lead guitars and bass and drums giving a solid backing. The album consist of 12 music tracks, with one small into. All are fast moving and full of energy, that will make you get up. Maybe they are not the best of singers, but Noodles, Dexter, Greg and Ron don’t just make a loud noise.

The one thing that can be said about the Offspring is a definite change in direction for the style of their music. If you listen to some of their older stuff it is more stronger and core punk, while ‘American’ especially shows them to have turned more commercial to appeal to other people their music has become more pop than rock. Their lyrics are similar, they are not going to be the smoothest in the history of music, but work well, are funny, if a little childish. Personally I don’t have any problems with these guys, I have listened to all their older stuff and I like is just as much, and it is good music, real guitars and drumming.

The album itself is worth getting just for the artwork. Each track has all the lyrics printed, and an individual cartoon or still. They are all amusing, though some may find them offensive. I really like them, they are good and add a little individuality to the song, and all the cartoons have appeared in the promotion for the singles. Price wise this will set you back the normal for a chart CD, between £10-£15, though I have spotted it on offers like Virgins two for £22. The CD itself is nice, a cigarette being stubbed out looks a bit abstract but fun.

>1. Welcome

As on all Offspring albums there is a nice quirky start to the album, with a humorous message. This time it is the style of a electronic phone message, nice bit of a funny and light hearted start.

“Welcome to Americana. Please make your selection followed by the pound sign, now”

2. Have You Ever

This is a slightly strange song; it is split into two parts with a soft pause in the middle. Starts well with a guitar and drum mixing, and the song is catchy enough with a nice chorus, but I like the second part better, it has more energy and is quicker moving. Good lyrics, this is not just a noise there is more to the Offspring than that.

“Some days, my souls confined and out of mind, sleep forever. Some days, I’m so outshined and out of time. Have you ever”

3. Staring at the Sun

A good song, to continue a good start to the album. Not unlike the first, as it is quick moving, full of guitars and drumming the underlying beat. Again very meaningful lyrics that are well sung and look at them carefully they do have more to them than to fill the gaps.

“There’s more to living than only surviving, maybe I’m not there but I’m still trying”

4. Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)

The first Offspring song I heard, and I was instantly caught by the strong guitars, smart words, humor, and the backing drumming. This song really is one of my favourites in here, it is a great song, and is a real taste of what I like about these guys. Lovely.

“If you don’t rate, then overcompensate. At least you know you can always go on Ricki Lake”

5. The Kids Aren’t Alright

Another superb song, just piped to my favourite by the excellent Pretty Fly. Another great guitar song, this is quite a short song with lots of time taken up by some powerful guitar solos. The lyrics are again great, all
about people having their lives screwed up by society, powerfully put across in musical terms.

“What the Hell is going on. The cruelest dream, reality”

6. Feelings

Nice song, though not quite up to the high standards set by the earlier songs. Short but sweet, the vocals are never any good here or on the rest of the album but it is again full of guitars backings, and it ends on a great electric guitar solo.

“Feelings like I wanna deck you, Feelings like I’ve gotta get you out of my life”

7. She’s Got Issues

Like on the previous track the vocals are never going to live up to much, but it is another feel good song, the guitars pick up the song. The lyrics are great, funny if you read the inlay, but without any bad language. Well not too much bad language that is

“And I know she’s afraid to commit, but it’s only our second date”

8. Walla Walla

Another one of my favourite tracks from the album. Electric guitars are not as apparent, letting the lyrics carry the song, before cutting in the chorus. The lyrics are great as usual, I could not resist putting in the one below and it does seem to be a very good feature of this album.

“That car looked so tempting, so easy to drive. Just like that apartment you burglarized. You started to run, but didn’t get far. Cause under your arm was a VCR”

9. The End of the Line

A slight change, it is slower paced, more of a depressing and sad tone, as the title may suggest. The guitars are active, but it does not come off to well, I prefer the full blast, quicker tracks such as ‘Walla Walla’ or ‘Pretty Fly’.

“Please stay now, you left me here alone – It’s the end of the line ”

10. No Brakes

I like this, it is quicker and aggressive but within my taste limits. The guitar
s push it along, at a quick tempo, and the lyrics suit the song. Not a bad song, and a nice change of direction for the album, but is still a guitar driven track.

“Save it now, don’t save it for my sake. Someone said it’s alright.”

11. Why Don’t You Get a Job?
A single released from this album to follow up on ‘Pretty Fly’, ‘The Kids Aren’t Alright’ and is a good quality song, though placed near the end of the album. The lyrics tell a story, it is funny to listen along to, while it is still good guitars and music in general, though the brass band adds a little extra to this.

“Well I guess it ain’t easy doing nothing at all”

12. Americana

The title track for the album is not the best on the album. A drumbeat starts the song, before electric guitars kick in. The vocals are slow to start, when they do they are the same quick and well backed, but I just don’t like this as much as some of the others.

“My futures determined by thieves, thugs and vermin, its quite an excursion but its ok”

13. Pay the Man

Very slow to start with a long guitar intro for about 2 minutes, then starts to get a bit louder. I don’t like the waiting, the music is quality, but to end the album I would have liked something explosive to send it off. The lyrics are dark and moody, while it is too soft and never gets going for me.

“Shut up you talk too much, pay the man, shut up you talk too much”

Overall I love this album. I discovered the Offspring from this and I went from here to discover their other works. Their new offering ‘Conspiracy of One’ is great, as good if not better than ‘Americana’ in my opinion, but have a listen to some of their older stuff. ‘Smash’ and ‘Ixnay on the Hombre’ are classics, and the Offspring have converted we
ll to a punk to pop style that fits with me, and several million others, as record sales for this shows. I recommend this all the way.

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