Offspring - Rise & Fall, Rage & Grace
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Free Music Notes for Rise & Fall, Rage & Grace
Free Music Review: What a smash!
Hit: 5 Stars
For two years I had only albums "Smash" through "Splinter" and thought that was all that Offspring encompassed. With the release of this new album, I am delighted to be proven wrong.
There has been much improvement all around. Dexter's singing is better and brighter, and he throws away fewer of the words (something he has done on earlier albums). It's well-arranged and organized, the lyrics are well-planned, and there is so much joy in this album. In their five-year absence from the studio, the talent has not worn away. Gone are the cynic tones of "Americana"; the dark lyrics of "Conspiracy"; the experimental colouring of "Splinter". It is not another "Ixnay" or "Smash", but it is nonetheless enjoyable for that.
Songs like "Hammerhead" and "Half-Truism" are very energetic and lively; "Nothingtown" is very entertaining, "Stuff is Messed Up" has a sudden burst of lyrics at breakneck pace, and the ballad number "Kristy, are you doing okay?" is quite nice.
But on occasion, they seem to be looking backward in their career. This is most obvious in "Trust in You", where the chordal and melodic pattern is very similar (if not identical) to the song "Smash", an early success. Yeah, there's some sillyness on the album, but it's all very enjoyable. And it is 13 minutes longer than "Splinter", which is great. Much more to enjoy. The book of words is also well-designed, although I would have kept the words for "Half-Truism" in an order that can be followed, and not put the lyrics of "You're gonna go far, kid" in that box that has to be turned every which way to be read - especially in dark green against a black background, which is hard on the eyes! Beyond these little flaws, it is an excellent album and I'm happy to own a copy.
Free Music Review: A fine return to form
Hit: 5 Stars
**** (Amazon locked my accidental 5 star rating).
I feel the need when discussing a band like the Offspring to state my age. There seems to be two kinds of fans who remain standing today; those who were old enough to know Smash and Ixnay (and possibly Ignition) when they were actually released, and those who were young and enjoyed the novelty of "Pretty Fly for a White Guy". I have to say that Americana was the last album that was universally loved by both groups of these fans. As a 26 year old, I fit into the first. Which is why I listened through "Conspiracy" once and only know that "Hit That" was a lame song on an album called "Splinter". The Offspring had been one of my favorite bands in the world, but that was 10 years ago. So it was with some reluctance that I downloaded "Rise & Fall, Rage & Grace" a couple of months ago. I have to say, that I was immediately hooked, just like the old days. "Half-Truism" has become one of my favorite Offspring songs ever, and "Trust in You" could have very well been on "Ixnay on the Hombre". "You're Gonna Go Far Kid" is pretty annoying to me and should not have been a single in my opinion, but "Hammerhead" works really well. The next couple of songs are strong, and then comes "Kristy Are You Doing Okay?", which initially had me rolling my eyes. Then I just skipped it. Then I let it play. Then I put in on while not listening to the album and now it makes my mix cd's and play lists. I don't know how, but it truly grew on me and is one of my favorite songs. As for the rest of the album, it rocks. I think either one of these groups of fans that I described would love this record and I'm glad I gave it a chance. You should too.
Free Music Review: The best "over-all" record by Offspring, ever.
Hit: 5 Stars
First of all, I own and listen to all the Offspring CD's. The last three where finish-the-record-contract -and-get-out throw away recordings that yielded only a couple of decent songs. "Ixnay", widely considered their finest moment, does not surpass "Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace."
This album is not ruined by Bob Rock. Period. What Bob did was as he always does, he tells the band to second guess its lyrical choices and push the songs until they are raw and strong.
The lyrics here are in many ways more mature than the music and often slightly out-of-reach of the quieter vocal range Dexter needs to do them justice.
The first half of the record is the strongest six songs Offspring has put on a record since "Ixnay" but don't forget, that record had toss-away songs like "Cool to Hate" and used lyrics like "Doggie doo" and "Pat on SNL" and while `Amazed' and `Change the World' are as strong an ending to any record ever, the songs scattered between `Gone Away' and `Amazed' are scattershot.
This is the strongest collection they've ever released, not to point out any single song, but as a collection, an entire album worthy of your attention. Forget influences of Green Day or others, all bands are `influenced' and "American Idiot" was a blatant homage to the rock-operas of the seventies, so who cares if Offspring borrows too?
This is the best over-all record they've ever put out, a true return to form and a worthy successor to "Ixnay" and "Smash."
Buy it, it's an excellent record. Period
Free Music Review: What I Was Looking For
Hit: 5 Stars
There are many different ways to begin to review a CD but, for some reason, I can't get past one single word running through my head when I think of "Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace": epic.
As I'm sitting and typing at this moment I've come to realize what makes me come to that word. Have you ever heard a song that connected to your emotions so accurately and your feeling at that moment so perfectly that you thought 'I knew I was going to hear this song some day'? The songs "Hammerhead" and "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" are did that to me. They're the type of songs that you want to sing loudly along with while driving down the interstate with the windows down. Well, at least I do.
Another stand out song for me is "Stuff Is So Messed Up". The song takes an amusing approach at stating several truths about the our current state and I was pleasantly surprised when I heard it the first time.
I'm no expert in music. At the moment I only own about 50 CDs compared to the hardcore music fanatics whose collections reach the hundreds. I couldn't give you any information on them beyond the group and the names of the songs either, where others know such trivial information as the names of every grandmother of the members of every band they have a CD of (or something equally ridiculous). However I know what kind of music I like and this CD definitely has it.
On a side note, I thought the inside cover artwork for this CD was perfect for the sound of it all.
Free Music Review: Another great effort from the Offspring
Hit: 5 Stars
Finally a breathe of fresh air from the Offspring. To me Splinter never existed it was easily there worst effort they made us wait 3 years for only 30 minutes of material and most of that album was filler but it had a few good songs I'm not going to lie but this album blows it out of the water. The 5 year wait was actually worth it I've been following this album ever since they were just thoughts in Dexters head. I have listened to this album 3-5 times and I can safely say its not another Splinter this album is actually really good. Theres actually a lot of stuff that reminds me of the Smash and Ixnay days theres no Pretty Fly For A White Guy songs on this album and I am really happy about that because I am quite sick of that song because it seems like it is on every one of there albums past Americana and that was a huge selling point for me on this album. The production is GREAT and I can hear the BASS really well I think Bob Rock did a great job with the Offspring but I hope Rick Rubin produces there next CD or Brendon O' Brian. This album reminds me of Conspiracy of One which in my opinion was there best work past there Smash days. The only problem with the album is the ballads I don't like them they should of added 2 minute fast paced punk songs instead and this album would be perfect but maybe they'll grow on me but all I can say is this is a 5 star effort from the Offspring coming from a long time Offspring fan.