Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace [Explicit]

Good, but not great. This band isn't what it used to be. I really enjoyed Smash, Ixnay, and Americana. After that they didn't fall apart, but the albums became average and safe. You know what to expect.

I like The Offspring, I think this album is a good effort. I don't think it will make the hardcore punks happy, I don't think it will stand out with the mainstream. It's a catchy album but it loses me right about the fifth or sixth track. (And "Fix You" and "Rise And Fall" sound a little Green Dayish to me). Not bad though. It's something new to listen to.

This is a great cd, full of pop hooks and pop-punk energy, as well as some nice group harmony type vocals.

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.

This is a great CD. I immediately liked all the tunes, didn't need it to "grow on me" - it was great on the first listen, from the rockin' "Stuff is Messed Up" (its PG title)to the moving "Kristy, are you doing okay?" It's a must-have for the collection of any Offspring fan.