Track Listing
1. Half Truism
2. Trust in You
3. You're Gonna Go Far, Kid
4. Hammerhead
5. A Lot Like Me
6. Takes Me Nowhere
7. Kristy Are You Doing Okay
8. Nothingtown
9. Stuff is Messed Up
10. Fix You
11. Lets Hear It for Rock Bottom
12. Rise and Fall
13. O.C. Life (Bonus Track)
Dexter Holland - Vocals/Guitar
Noodles - Guitar
Greg K - Bass
John Freese - Drums
Sometime last June, the critically acclaimed punk-rock band the Offspring came out with an album that has already gone down in history as a classic. Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace is the band's eighth studio album, and sixth album in a string of solid efforts dating back to 1994's Smash. This album is nothing less than any fan would expect of this band. It's classic Offspring as it always has been.
The first instantly recognizable hits from this album includes "You're Gonna Go Far Kid", "Hammerhead", "A Lot Like Me", and "Fix You". These few songs seem a litle more matured from the typical music they have made in the past. The lyrical themes are in general more emotional and serious than songs such as "Original Prankster" from Conspiracy of One or "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)" from Americana. However we do get some more of this type of attitude in the song "Stuff is Messed Up". The opener "Half-Truism" takes us back to the classic Offspring of the past, as does the second track "Trust in You".
The album does have a few slow points, particularly tracks like "Fix You" and "Kristy, Are You Doing Okay", two songs I routinely skip while listening to the album. These are the only two which really lag on the album, and the band redeems itself with songs like "Stuff is Messed Up" and the bonus "O.C. Life".
This album was produced by Bob Rock, and to much surprise, he did an outstanding job. Rock has produced many hit albums, including numerous Metallica records as well as Motley Crue, and his own band the Payola$. Although he is responsible for bringing Metallica to mainstream success, many also consider him responsible for the band's eventual departure from popular opinion culminating with their album St. Anger. For the Offspring to hire Bob Rock for this album was what some would call incredibly risky at the very least. But in Rock's defense, he really pulled through. These songs are great, and are easily just as good as anything off their Americana or Smash albums. Everything is there, the guitar, the vocals, the attitude. Hopefully this group of punk rockers will still be able to keep it going in a couple of years and bring us another great album. Who knows, maybe even a U.S. tour?
Total Album Review: 8.0/10
