Offspring - Rise & Fall, Rage & Grace
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Free Music Notes for Rise & Fall, Rage & Grace
Free Music Review: appropriate title for this album.
Hit: 4 Stars
this album is definately a tricky one to review, let alone judge any song in particular. lets just say, that as fellow mainstream pop punk acts like green day, blink 182, and sum 41 have done, the offspring now sorta follow the suit. (synths, piano, etc) i cant speak for anyone else, but i must say, that some of the songs on here are the best they have done since americana, yet others are some of the worst they have ever done. i will do a song by song rating using the special "rise and fall" system. rise being good, and fall being bad.
half-truism-this song is great. it starts us off with a bang. i enjoy the fact that the lyrics are much more mature, while not crossing into boring adult territory. RISE
trust in you-this is the hard, fast heavy song on the album. if anyone has any doubts that the offspring can still rock out, just listen to this song. reminds me of something from self titled redone today. an easy RISE
your gonna go far kid-by now, i was thinking this album could be one of the best they have ever done. this song doesnt let down either. i would describe this as sort of a mix between the kids arent alright and dammit i changed again. again, another easy RISE.
hammerhead-if you are an offspring fanatic, you probably have heard this song many times already. this is one of the strongest lead singles they have had since americana for sure. lyrically and musically. the lyrics are said to compare school shooters to soldiers in war. also, its good to not have a hip hop riddled lead single for once. RISE
a lot like me-if you liked gone away or amazed from ixnay, this song will please. dexter does some very nice singing in this. some of it we havent heard since ixnay as well. RISE
takes me nowhere-pretty good. keeps the pace of the album running smoothly. kind of reminiscent of a song from splinter. id call it a keeper. RISE
kristy-now we are in the second half of the cd....and this song just deflates all of the energy that the album built up in the first 6 songs. to me, the lyrics arent the problem. the sappy semi-acoustic adult alternative music is what kills this one. i can just tell, this will be the offspring's "wake me up when september ends" or "i miss you." im sorry, i tried to like this one, but it just reeks of soccer mom alternative radio. i guess thats this is the reason skip buttons were invented. FALL
nothingtown-this song is very upbeat, which is a good thing to have after the depressing kristy song. could easily fit alongside pretty fly, want you bad, or original prankster if you want some very upbeat offspring songs. RISE
stuff is messed up-destined to be the cult favorite from this album. puts the energy of the album back on track. this is the one song that acknowledges and critiques technology and pop culture on RFAG. much like offspring used to do back in the day. its good to hear an updated version of that. RISE
fix you-this is the second roadblock of the album. once again, the lyrics outshine the music itself. lyrically, the song sounds like it is the continuation of gone away, the end of the line, and million miles away. musically, it sounds like balled-esque green day or U2, which to me is a bad thing on an otherwise energetic album. not as bad as kristy though. ill give it that. FALL
Rock Bottom-picks things back up a little. its good to hear some ska-esque guitars. its a fun little song to bring the energy back after another slow depressing song. would have been a great closer to the cd. RISE
Rise and fall-okay, no matter how hard i try and try, the song sounds too much like american idiot for me to appreciate. i mean it has better lyrics, and i like dexter's voice better than billie joe's, but this just falls stale for me. hey at least it is more listenable than kristy. a pretty lame closer to a pretty good album. FALL
bottom line: i know i have probably repeated many things said already, but its good to see the offspring come up with some good stuff after the flat album splinter. this album Rises 9 times and falls 3. the good 9 songs are some of the best stuff they have done since at least CO1...maybe Americana. think the album is definately worth the purchase.
Free Music Review: It's really hard to know what to say
Hit: 4 Stars
This is not a bad album, but what I can say is that my opinion of this could not have been more similar to my opinion of Tool's "10,000 Days," as I also waited five long years for that album. The Offspring was one of the first bands I ever started listening to along with No Doubt, Green Day, and Metallica. I've liked every single one of their albums to a certain degree, this one included. I checked their website out every once in a while for updates and they barely toured and it still took them five years to write this? Don't get me wrong, it's good, but I feel as though they really dragged a** on this because I hear a lot of recycled stuff from their old albums and just lots of room for cool breakdowns or better time changes or SOMETHING for five years of not releasing material; but they basically failed to deliver such things. However, to just review the album for what it is, they do pretty much stick to their guns for the most part. Half-Truism is my favorite track on the album, the way Dexter sings it is incredible and the music itself is good, not to mention the lyrics in the chorus are very emotional and epic. All around fantastic song. Other strong tracks for me include "Hammerhead" which is just real ROCK at its finest, especially the part where Dexter belts out the "and you can all hide behind your desks now..." part. "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" is a fun, very catchy song that I like very much as well. "Stuff is Messed Up" is a really cool song with quite humorous yet ever so accurate lyrics about living in the world today and it's catchy at the same time. "Rise and Fall" is the bobbing your head happy punk rock song that I think is pretty cool. "Trust in you" is a really good punk song but it sounds like a lot of other things Offspring has done before, like they ripped themselves off hardcore on this song. It does have a really cool solo part in it, but the best way I can describe this song is that it's the best they could possibly sound when they're doing something they've done before. "Fix You" is the slow song out of the two very slow songs on this album that I actually like, it's got a nice melody, normally I hate songs like this but for some reason I like this one. As far as "Kristy, are you doing Okay?" is concerned, I understand the lyrics are meaningful, but I'm sorry, there is no way I can get into that song, as far as the music and the way Dexter singing is concerned, it is the worst offspring song ever! "Let's Hear it for Rock Bottom" is the other song on the album that I can't say I really care for all that much. The verses are good but the chorus is very lame and as a musician myself I can absolutely tell that the amount of time spent writing this song was minimal and it's just very lackluster overall. All the other tracks on the album aren't really good or bad, they're just mediocre Offspring songs, nothing really to say about them, nothing really specific I can point out about any of them. Overall it is a good album, but, to give an example of a band that took FOREVER to release an album that really surprised me is Green Day's "American Idiot." Strictly in my opinion, that is an album that I felt was worth waiting for and I can say they really gave it their all. Offspring is still one of my favorites, they are one of those bands that replenish me with good memories when I'm feeling down, so if I were to be biased at all I would be on their side, but I just can't bring myself to say that this album was worth waiting five years for. Two, maybe three at the absolute most, but I feel they could have put a lot more work into it, I guess I should probably get used to the fact that they are most likely on their way out of the music scene. Nevertheless, enjoyable to listen to.Free Music Review: Solid release but could have been better!
Hit: 4 Stars
I've been a long time Offspring fan; since ignition and smash. I guess that makes me biased because I've always loved their sound and "message". My favorite cds of theirs would probably have to be "Xnay On The Hombre" and of coarse "Smash".
I've never been disappointed with their cds. Sure, this album could have been better but it is a very solid and great release from The Offspring.
1. Half-Truism 3/5
This song starts up with a nice Muse sounding intro with a solid verse and leads to a decent chorus. It is a solid Offspring song but not my favorite on the album.
2. Trust in You 4/5
This track seems to have influences from their earlier songs. Catchy chorus with a fast-paced guitar riff and verse. One of my favorite tracks on the Album.
3. You're Gonna Go Far, Kid 5/5
Great catchy song. Definitely one of their more mainstream songs but still classic Offspring. I'd compare this to original prankster status. I love the verse and subject matter.
4. Hammerhead 3.5/5
I was slightly disappointed when I heard this for the first time on the radio but it has since grown on me. One of their political songs. Chorus is solid.
5. A lot Like Me 4/5
Interesting song, more of a ballad than the others. Very nice song. One of my favorites on the Album. I could see this being a single down the road.
6. Takes Me Nowhere 3.5/5
Solid track that takes you back to their earlier releases.
7. Kristy, are you okay? 3/5
Touching subject matter and lyrics. Wish the overall sound of the song fit the subject matter. One of their weaker songs on the album but still not a song I'd skip over. Talks about the loss of innocence. Gone away and their earlier ballads are a lot more powerful.
8. Nothingtown 3/5
Solid track but falls into the category of "Kristy, are you okay?". One of the weaker tracks on the album. But that doesn't imply the tracks are bad just not among the best of the album.
9. Stuff Is Messed Up 4/5
Classic Offspring, love it. One of the favorites on the album.
10. Fix You 3/5
Not a fan of the ballads on this cd. But still a nice song. Tracks such as "Gone away", "Amazed", etc spoiled me in regards to offspring ballads. But still a pretty song that I could see being a single at some point.
11. Let's Hear It For Rock Bottom 3.5/5
Melodic verse which leads up to a chorus with an ironic happy go lucky tone. Classic offspring.
12. Rise and Fall 4/5
Sounds a lot like american idiot. :P
Overall great album but definitely no "Smash" or "Ixnay on the Hombre". More like a "Splinter" or "Conspiracy of One". But I still love them to death and can't wait for their next release. Keep it coming!
Free Music Review: Life-long Offspring Fan's Thoughts
Hit: 4 Stars
The Offspring have been one of my favorite bands since I was 12. I have practically grown up with them as an integral part of the soundtrack of my life. That being said, Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace is a great album. I'm not going to say it doesn't have its faults, but this is definitely one of the most cohesive ALBUMS they have put out. I use album instead of CDs they have previously released where it was clear there were a few front-runners for a single, and a whole bunch of fillers.
What I didn't like about it? The production quality does not add anything to this one, and actually detracts from the quality at times. It sounds as if Bob Rock (jerk) forced a gritty, flat overlay onto an album that is truly dynamic and complicated underneath. Its almost like listening to one of your favorite songs with a bad set of blown-out headphones.
What I liked? Plenty to make me overlook the production. As I said, as a fan of the Offsping, I love/respect them for their various tones, changes, and ability to adapt their sound on every album while still keeping the unique sound that made them in the first place. Dexter's one-of-a-kind voice and the band's smooth use of harmonies really take the forefront on this record, more so than their previous.
Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace is a step up for the Offspring as it does have a more mature and cohesive sound. The songs, while each different, all share the same feel of a band who has done it all and is looking to make an album for themselves and their fans, not their critics. While I enjoy Splinter and Americana, those albums definitely had the feel of being written "with a gun to your head", with some great singles, and a lot of filler. Conspiracy of One was a great album, but I felt they lost themselves in trying to emulate the other bands at the time. This new album definitely stands out from the whiney, depressive so-called "punk-rock" that sadly infests the genre today.
Rise and Fall is definitely a return to what the Offspring do best. SoCal rooted songs with great transitions and flows, and excellent story-telling lyrics. a truly diverse album, but not in a way where it takes away from the enjoyment. This is a true "Push play, and never need to touch the skip button" album. Definitely worth it!
Free Music Review: OffSpring Mature
Hit: 4 Stars
Like another reviewer has already said, I also have 2 words to sum this new OffSpring Project up "Bob Rock"! IMHO I see this an opposite of what the former writer meant. Bands who go to BR to have him do their new project realize what he does best. The OffSpring are an extremely intelligent band so they too knew what they wanted and from who!
'Motley Crue's, Dr. Feelgood', 'Metallica's, the Black Album', and 'The Cult's, Sonic Temple'... All of these bands were ready to grow and accomplish something they themselves weren't sure how to do. All of the 3 mentioned albums are killer!
Alot of bands get caught in the same "our albums all sound the same, or, were ready to grooooow..., let's make some changes, something great!
It has worked for the 3 other groups listed above and I trust as the dust settles on 'Rage and Grace', people will realize it's not Bob Rock or anyone else than our fav 'The OffSpring' who are directly behind this change (for the good) and this is a really great change.
The first 6 tracks smoke just as well as any song they've done. Maybe not as rough or polished but I for one dig the new sound, it's 'Rage and Grace' just as the cover is telling us. They are a witty bunch, maybe even pulled one over on all of us? Noodles guitar really screame throughout 'Rise and Fall' and even after the initial 6 tracks it's not that hard to catch on to what their up too.
"Kristy, are you doing O.K. hits on some hardcore issues and I love the slam on hollywood bimbo and male dramaheadliner's when 'Stuff is Messed Up rolls out. Dexter is never one to run out of things to say. The cool bass solo/guitar hammers are nice also so a bit of commercial change rides a double edge sword no matter what!
Sure "Smash" blew our hair back, and that lead up to 'Americana' (my fav)so Greg, Dexter, and Noodles have been experimenting, maybe without us being aware? but 'Rage and Grace' will grow on us all (hopefully even those who are hardcore meltdowns that stay young and angry forever)?
Trks# 1 3 and 4 are killer grooves I'm into the most so far. The ballads are weird (from the 'OffSpring?) but they wrote em so they wanted us to hear them as well. If we are truly their fans, we have to ride with them as well. Peace to the cause...