The Offspring Albums (8)
'Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace'
Release Date 6/10/2008
Tracks 12
Label Columbia
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
On their eighth album, Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace, the Offspring rant about George W. Bush's America and all the crass consumerism accompanying it, and also snipe at dance beats on "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" -- complete with a "dance f***er dance" chorus -- which is par for the course for the Offspring, who always seems to get a neo-novelty tune out of some rhythm or fad they don't like. Nothing changes their attitude or their attack, as they still favor frenzied downstroked guitars and shout-along choruses. Still, the Offspring can't quite hide the passing of time, as they start to drift into power ballads and angsty anthems like "Kristy, Are You Doing Okay?," which feels tailor-made for a CW TV show. Such softening of their stance illustrates that it's impossible to avoid maturity. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
It's more mixing of stylized punk revival and hybridism with left-field musical experimentation and in-the-now pop culture lyrical references on Splinter, the Offspring's seventh full-length. "Never Gonna Find Me," "Long Way Home," and "Lightning Rod" each bristle with overdriven guitars and Dexter Holland's high-pitched bleating; they're somewhat workmanlike, but still roil with that precision fury particular to a veteran band. At the same time, Holland, guitarist Noodles, and bassist Greg Kriesel can't resist returning to the towel-slapping trash humor and mean-spirited loathing that typified past tracks like "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)" and "Self Esteem." Lead single "Hit That" talks up baby daddies over a bopping bassline and keyboard right out of a Bloodhound Gang track, while "Spare Me the Details" subverts its lighthearted acoustic strum with foul-mouthed (on the clean version, anyway) attacks on a philandering girlfriend ("I'm not the one who acted like a ho"). "Da Hui" overdrives surf rock while paying homage to hardcore Hawaiian board riders, and "When You're in Prison" ends Splinter with sage advice about protecting your dignity in the clink. Longtime fans will be more than happy with Splinter, which crams every last piece of the Offspring puzzle -- slickly produced rock racket, hints of anti-establishment rabble-rousing, and reams of relationship and strip mall culture gaggery -- into its brief half-hour run time. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Contrary to the popular belief of music critics, listeners and artists alike, a band that doesn't deviate from its genre on its albums isn't musically limited. There are many layers to any given genre of music, and growing into it is just as much of an accomplishment as, say, experimenting with several different categories. What's wrong with sounding the same if you get better and better at it with each album? On Conspiracy of One, the Offspring do just that, resulting in their most musically mature collection to date. The tight arrangements, vocal interplay and refined guitar work on "Original Prankster," "Want You Bad," and "Million Miles Away" sound like Offspring songs, but don't all sound the same. The band departs from its SoCal punk roots at times -- a ballad called "Denial, Revisited" provides one of the album's slower instances. They also inject elements of hip-hop, rap-metal, and Nirvana-like grunge into a few songs, giving Conspiracy of One some musical diversity, but it's subtle; the album remains firmly planted in the world of punk. Each song features Dexter Holland's lead vocals and Noodles and Holland's crafty guitar playing, the group's two defining factors. The album also features some smart lyrics, though the Offspring do have some sophomoric fun on the party anthem "One Fine Day." Conspiracy of One is a solid and well-crafted recording and offers a fine progression from a band that has no qualms about doing what they do best. ~ Liana Jonas, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
With integrity intact and a hearty combination of poppy punk and wit throughout, the Offspring's fifth album is a raucous ride through America as seen through the eyes of a weary, but still optimistic, young kid. Riffs on political correctness, '70s radio fodder, and suburban disquiet are spread thick on Americana. If the band's targets seem a bit simple and predictable, its music rarely is. The SoCal roots aren't played to a fault, the blend of salsa and alterna-rock sounds natural, and the Offspring pretty much laugh at their culture, as well as themselves, the entire time. Best track is "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)," which manages to bridge Def Leppard and Latin hip-hop (and the musical timeline they represent) and, in the process, disrobes Middle America's average white teen's quick fascination with and instant disposability of a once-regional heritage. With Americana, the Offspring are merely contributing their part. ~ Michael Gallucci, All Music Guide
'Ixnay on the Hombre'
Release Date 12/30/1996
Tracks 14
Label Epitaph
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Lacking the metal guitar crunch that dominated their breakthrough set, Smash, the Offspring's self-titled debut album is a rawer, harder-edged collection, and makes a more convincing argument for the band's punk credibility. Although The Offspring is more notable for its surface style than its substance, a handful of tracks do make a lasting impression. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The Offspring's second album for Epitaph did the impossible: it landed in the Top Five, unheard of for independent records. The Offspring crossed over due to the raucous, Eastern-tinged single "Come Out and Play," which stopped and started just like Nirvana, only without the Seattle trio's recklessness. The record stayed in the charts because the Offspring sounded relentlessly heavy, no matter how much the band claimed to be punk. Their tempos are slower than traditional hardcore, and their attack is as heavy as Metallica. But they acted like they were punk, with odes to no "Self Esteem" and singing about fighting in school. Nothing on the album matches the incessant catchiness of the singles, but Smash is a solid record, filled with enough heavy riffs to keep most teenagers happy. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
