Less Than Jake Albums (8)
What The Critics Say
By 2006, it pretty much goes without saying that Less Than Jake have seasoned-veteran status within the third wave of ska-punk revivalists. Over the years, they've done it smarter and catchier than most, which is presumably why they've succeeded in staying so relevant in a here today, gone tomorrow music scene. In with the Out Crowd comes as their proper follow-up to 2003's Anthem (B Is for B-Sides just consisted of extra songs that didn't make Anthem's final cut), and though it's not the strongest album they've ever released, it's still another enjoyable release to add to their notable back catalog. "Soundtrack of My Life" and "A Still Life Franchise" kick things off on the right foot, the latter scampering to light ska upbeats before culminating in an exuberant dose of brass-lined pop-punk. Sonically, the record is more of the same ska-punk-pop blend fans have come to expect with singalong choruses, bouncing guitars, and rhythms that bump and drive. Lyrically, however, while Less Than Jake have always delved into sentiments about both looking ahead and looking back, In with the Out Crowd finds the band generally taking a much more sober and introspective stance. Anthem offered advice to listeners via the band's own weathered experiences; this album is devoted more to the guys reflecting on personal doubts, regrets, and sentiments drawn from life and being in a band together for almost 15 years. Things never get overly serious or somber, as the music remains upbeat and catchy throughout. "The Rest of My Life" brings in some synths for a smooth dose of regret-fueled self-examination, "Mostly Memories" utilizes playful horns, and "Let Her Go" is about the closest LTJ have come in the 2000s to their early material. Though the mall punk of "Overrated (Everything Is)" -- which sounds like a better version of Anthem's "She's Gonna Break Soon" -- could be done without, the record proves to be another satisfying listen from a band that consistently delivers. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After ten-plus years of party grooves, label woes, and too many shows to count, Less Than Jake's Chris (vocals/guitar), Roger (vocals/bass), Vinnie (drums/lyrics), Buddy (trombone), and JR (saxophone) put everything they learned into Anthem. And what's old is new again. The band reissued its spiny font, but it also returned to the major-label ranks (this time with Warner Bros.), and hired hit-making producer Rob Cavallo (Green Day's Dookie, etc.) to tweak its tried-and-true formula of effervescent pop/rock punk-ska. The result is a hooky, heady collection of heartfelt postcards from the future that LTJ's youthful fan base has to look forward to. While Cavallo and mixer Tom Lord-Alge have certainly tightened Anthem's hooks, all the crunchy major chords and soaring choruses have a tendency to crowd out the band's ska influences and relegate its horn section to support status. While "Look What Happened" does employ JR and Buddy's considerable talents to the song's plaintive melody, and "The Science of Selling Yourself Short" is a bouncing, sunlit reggae rocker, the majority of Anthem is devoted to energizing punk sermons on booze, pals, and a youth wasted on empty wishes and "weeks of weekends" (from the single "She's Gonna Break Soon"). It's as if Less Than Jake is apologizing to itself for all the mistakes it made, while at the same time warning the listener about what not to do. All the lyrical soul-searching and sloganeering make eerie bedfellows for some of the hookiest material the band has ever written. But this also adds much needed character to songs that in younger hands might be earnest, yet empty-headed (see Sum 41 as an example). "Short Fuse Burning" rocks the stuttering guitar line of AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" over a double-step melodic hardcore rhythm. "They are sleepwalking their way through life," laments the painting that accompanies "The Upwards War and the Down Turned Cycle" (each of Anthem's tracks features a complementary work by a unique artist). The song doesn't offer much hope, but its unadorned realism is welcome in a genre that's too often vapid. The horn section makes a triumphant return for "Best Wishes to Your Black Lung," and makes the song the closest thing Anthem ever gets to the third-wave ska leanings of LTJ's earlier material. Some longtime fans of the group will undoubtedly dislike Anthem, and declare it to be a volley lobbed at mainstream acceptance. These naysayers have a point, as the presence of Cavallo's Midas touch proves. But they'll likely miss the larger message of Anthem, which is truly driven home with the album's final word, a bonus cover of one of the all-time classic anthems, Cheap Trick's "Surrender." The song's penultimate moment, when the teenaged narrator discovers that his parents are cooler than he is, in Less Than Jake's hands becomes a warning for a new generation of kids. Surrender to your dreams, they seem to suggest, but don't let your dreams carry you away. It's a lesson driven home over 40 minutes of soul-searching and bittersweet recollection that nevertheless rocks with major-league efficiency. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After Less Than Jake left the majors and returned to its minor-label roots with Fat Wreck Chords, a funny thing happened. Rather than produce a more back-to-the-basics album, the veteran skasters did just the opposite. Borders and Boundaries borders on being overproduced, and the lyrics trend more toward the trite and trivial. It's the band's slickest, most polished effort yet, and offers more of the same party music. A slight change can be heard in the horns, which sound tighter. Fans won't be disappointed, but purists might -- its safe sound reeks of a major-label record incognito. ~ Ron DePasquale, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Similar in sound and approach to their previous release for Capitol (1996's Losing Streak), Hello Rockview shows that Less Than Jake have not lost their appetite for party-laden ska-punk. Horn bursts, rough 'n' melodic vocals, and high-energy performances from the other instrumentalists will please longtime fans, but Hello Rockview doesn't really break any new ground for the band. Still, tracks such as "Help Save the Youth of America from Exploding," "History of a Boring Town," and "Last One Out of Liberty City" would sound perfectly in place at a backyard party, or blaring from the stage of the Warped Tour (on which the band has played on several different occasions). Although many have been tempted to lump Less Than Jake in with the current ska-punk bandwagon, the truth is that they were one of the first bands to combine the two styles back in the early '90s. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Less Than Jake's major-label debut, Losing Streak, is a reasonably engaging collection of frenzied, party-ready metallic ska-punk. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'Losers, Kings, and Things We Don't Understand'
Release Date 9/11/1996
Tracks 21
Label No Idea
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Less Than Jake were far from novices when they entered the studio to record their 1995 debut album, Pezcore. Formed in 1992, they came into their own the following year with an exuberant blend of melodic ska-punk. Their enthusiasm was infectious, translating easily from the stage onto disc. By 1994, the group was barraging indie labels with its music, and in turn its 7" and 10" singles peppered the scene, with ubiquitous appearances on numerous compilations of the day. Thus it was to the relief of their many fans that in 1996 LTJ released Losers, Kings, and Things We Don't Understand, a 20-track set that bundled up many of their singles and compilation offerings. Of course, Pezcore was a classic set, but this one arguably best captures the spirit of the band's early years. It's the sheer exhilaration of the music that initially clobbers listeners, all zippy tempos, high-energy performances, and an unerring ear for a melody. In later years, LTJ would list the early Bay Area bands as their strongest influence, but initially they thanked Snuff for turning them from just another generic new-school group into something special. Their horns certainly made LTJ stand out, but listen hard and you'll hear the group's own twists on punk, from the snip of funk that infests "Econolodged" to the twist of hard rock that pops up on "Pez King" and "Wish Pig," the '60s riffs that rip through "Shotgun" and "Glumble," and the jubilant take on old-school punk reinvented for a new generation. As for their covers, like Sid Vicious' take on "My Way," LTJ appropriate songs and make them their own. Although filled with anthems of the age, not every track here is a winner -- one can't bash out this much music this fast and turn out a gem every time -- but there are no clunkers, either. Every longstanding fan has his/her favorite tracks, and this reissue now allows members of a whole new generation to find their own within. A must-have set. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Hurtling out of Gainesville, FL, Less Than Jake's decidedly generic sound initially raised few eyebrows around the local punk scene. That all changed in 1993, when the year-old quartet heard British skacore heroes Snuff. Inspired, the band enlisted saxophonist Jessica Schaub and reinvented its sound. Now serving up a blistering mix of third-wave ska and melodic punk, the band swiftly excited attention from all quarters, and a multitude of indie labels. Pezcore, their debut album, duly arrived in 1995, and across 19 numbers LTJ illuminated just what all the fuss was about. They weren't the only high-energy band on the scene, nor the only group with a predilection for catchy tunes and anthemic choruses, nor even the only bunch to fold ska into their sound, but they were one of the few to combine all three talents in one exhilarating package. What really made LTJ stand out, however, was the way they combined ska and punk. At the time, most bands had their separate punk and ska numbers, while a few would dramatically shift genres in the center of a song. LTJ, though, oftentimes skittered between punk and ska, so closely were the styles interwoven in the arrangements. The jittery "Blindsided" is a case in point, as the rhythm section and guitarist hiccup from rock to reggae, and the brass sprays out overhead. Equally important, the band didn't save the horns just for its straight ska songs; flooding even seemingly straight-ahead punk rockers like "My Very Own Flag," only a few of the harder speedcore numbers like "Jen Doesn't Like Me Anymore" and "Black Coffee" escape. "Growing Up on a Couch," in contrast, illustrates just how brilliantly the band interjected sax into hardcore. And it was this that truly captured fans' imaginations. Pezcore was filled with many such brilliant moments and soon-to-be fan faves, with standouts including "Jen," "Johnny Quest Thinks We're Sellouts," "Liquor Store," the incredibly tight "Boomtown," and the list goes on and on. The legend started right here. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide
