High hopes abounded when I gave this album its first spin at home after buying it... not only was it a new album from one of my favourite bands, but it was released the day before my birthday (and was originally intended for release on the exact same day... heh, how ironic), and after Green Day's 'Warning' I had high hopes for another slice of modern pop-punk the way it should be. The album as a whole is very varied, which is always good, but compared to the other Offspring albums I feel that this album is less concerted as a whole. 'Ignition' was too similar throughout - 'Smash' and 'Ixnay on the Hombre' both varied ...  Read the complete review

The Offspring have a dedicated fanbase and are regarded for their playful lyrics that are aimed firmly at a teenage audience, but with the rockers going well into their thirties as this album was released, it marks a change in their style somewhat. Prior to this, it was easy to tell an Offspring song, but with Conspiracy of One, they've shook up the expectations of their audiences a little bit, and in doing so have created a whole new, still great brand identity for themselves. As occurs with every sort of punky band, they've matured and tried a few different things, such as the divisive track Denial Revisited, which is in fact a lot slower and more meditative ...  Read the complete review

Hailing from the same roots as Green Day, The Offspring have only recently been recognised in the UK as a great rock band. Their current album, Conspiricy of One can only help matters, as it contains some wonderful tracks which seem to relay a wide range of musical influences. The song Come Out Swinging starts the album off and really gets you into the right mood pretty fast, the fast beat and unmistakable style of the band shines out in this track. Next up, Original Prankster plays on the band's more comical element, seen both in the infamous Get a Job and Pretty Fly (for a white guy) it's a great song for getting back at the crap that life ...  Read the complete review

Americana, following Ixnay on The Hombre developed the link between punk rock and the world of mainstream pop. Conspiracy of One follows in there tracks, with the philosophy if it ain't broke then don't fix it. Although you will see the similarity in the style of the album, the tracks sound fresh, new and lively. Track reviews: --------- The first track on the album, after the now standard Offspring Introduction, is "Come Out Swinging" - This track is fast paced and kicks the album off really well. The first single "Original Prankster" is the most similar to the highly successful "Pretty Fly for a White ...  Read the complete review

The Offspring have recently become very popular due to the release of both this album (their newest) and Americana (their 1998 album), which would usually imply that they had sold out. Well I'm afraid to admit that they have, although (as you will know if you've read my opinions on all their other albums) they are still my favourite band. Their rise to fame after the singles "Come Out and Play" and "Self Esteem" from their third album "Smash" charted made them well known to the general punk rock public as a damn fine band, as did their less popular (but possibly better) follow-up album, "Ixnay on the Hombre." But ...  Read the complete review