Amazon.com

This successor to the band's promising It Means Everything debut album finds Save Ferris in a similar bind to that encountered by their Orange County brethren in No Doubt. Specifically: how to follow up on the success of a ska-pop breakthrough when the style itself has faded commercially. Modified is a more uneven collection than its predecessor, even though Monique Powell (a less-mannered vocalist than Gwen Stefani) shines on the reggae-tinged title track and the band deserves credit for stretching out its musical vocabulary on the trip-hoppy "One More Try." But, like many major-label sophomore outings, the album as a whole feels underinspired and overhurried. --Bill Forman ... Read more

Reviews (54)

Someone, PLEASE, Save Ferris!
Okay, so I have to admit, I love Save Ferris, and I probably only gave this album three stars because I felt sorry for Monique and the boys. 'It Means Everything' was an incredibly energetic and fun CD, a perfect blend of bouncy ska and sleek big band-type backgrounds on some songs. I gave 'Modified' a listen and couldn't get through it! What had happened to my wonderous band? Why did their record label try to turn them into another No Doubt? Don't get me wrong; No Doubt is great too, but they were something completely different than Save Ferris to start with. If you want something that sounds like No Doubt, buy their CDs. If you want something that sounds like what Save Ferris should be, with Monique Powell's enthusiastic vocals and songs that make you want to hop up and down with joy, buy 'It Means Everything' instead. Don't waste your time with this trying-to-make-one-girl-ska-singer-sound like another one business.

All-round Great
Although many compare this album to their debut (and ultimately find it disappointing), I think it has turned out to be an all-round better piece of work. Modified gives the listener a taste of different music, from Turn It Up's upbeat ska-pop to Let Me In's extremely touching style. All around, shows that the group can be versatile, and has the best of their songs.

The best
This is the ultimate everything CD. You can work out to it, dance to it, realate to it, sing along,(I could go on forever). Modified is energy, power,fun, great vocals, and music packed in one and you don't often find CDs like this. It starts off with a bang: 'Turn it up' which is exactly what songs on this CD have become to me. The songs are just pure fun and you'll never find another CD like this. Monique Powell's voice is just awesome...no one else can sing like her. She's got a strong, happy, and undescibably good voice. The bonus track is wonderful too. Just wait a minute or so after the CD ends... you'll be so glad you did. Use your head and get this CD! You'll be mad at yourself that you didn't buy this sooner, so get shoppin'!

Just Short of True Brilliance..
I wasn't really sure what to expect from Save Ferris. It was a band I only began listening to a few months ago and only a few random things here and there- B-sides such as "Support Your Local Ska Band," their works with Reel Big Fish, and their biggest hit, the "Come On Eileen" cover- so I was very excited to try an album without knowing what to expect.

For what it's worth, the band has a very distinctive style- not a distinctive SOUND but a distinctive way of approaching a song- instead of the No Doubt cookie-cutter factory-sealed-and-pressed radio-friendly ska-pop, Save Ferris definitely do their own thing. They produce an album that covers very human and common things- deteriorating friendships, loss of love, recovery from life's dark periods- and they cover those things in a fresh and fun approach, usually upbeat and almost never too sad.

The problem is that they strive for their difference. It's not a natural sound, it's forced. They wanted to be the creative ska band, true to their ska roots on their follow up.

They fell a bit short. I haven't heard all of the first album, but there are few horns heard throughout the course of the tracks. Isn't a horn section a requirement of all proper ska bands? Did I miss something? I have to admit they make their point and they prove their creativity with tracks like "Your Friend" and "Modified," but they just don't have what it takes in other songs.

It's a good album if you want to try something uplifting and different from the bland over-stated alternative rock of today. If you're looking for something that's going to shake up your outlook on life, though, this really isn't that thought-provoking or insightful. I was disappointed.

No Complaints; An Excellent Sophomore Follow-Up
Do you like No Doubt, Letters to Cleo, Reel Big Fish or even (slight stretch) the Barenaked Ladies? If so, there isn't a chance you won't just flip over Modified, or the band who owns it's rights. You will probably also run out and buy "It Means Everything" and note, idly, that the two albums are quite different, but not so much so that you dont recognize their core sound. Both albums are great, and truly if I had to pick my favorite of the two, I like Modified better, not because it's any better or because its more ska or whatnot; i believe it's a personal choice. Either album would be a good introduction to Save Ferris. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

THE PERFECT ENDING!!
Five Iron has been my favorite band for about five years now and when I found out they were breaking up, I was super depressed but, thankfully FIF has put out an album that perfectly represents them in all aspects. I bought 'the end is near' last summer and didn't think it could possibly get any better....but alas...it has. The end is here ROCKS!!!! They included all the staples of their live show and then some. It's just incredible. The bonus track,"the cross of st. andrew" is also freaking amazing.....and it makes me cry because it reminds me of how awesome FIF was. Well, anyways.....if you haven't gotten 'the end is near' yet, you are in for a big surprise. This album is definately five iron in their prime. It is THE BEST. If you like ska, punk....heck...any kind of music, you must buy this album. RIP FIF....you are an inspiration to myself and all of your generation.

A Fitting End to A Great Band
I bought the original printing of the album at Cornertone NC last year. I thought it was great then (though it did not contain the live bonus CD). With this public release of the album the band had added a bonus track to the end of The End is Near. My only complaint is that the lyrics were not included in the liner notes. There is every element that makes Five Iron Frenzy a great band on the sudio album. Spiritually meaningful songs, fun songs that somehow still manage to make a profound point, and then there are the just plain funny songs (They may have a point too, but I haven't pondered them enough). For fans, "The Story Ends" is the best end to this album making reference to the entire career of the band by mentioning at least one song from each of the previous albums. My favorite tracks are The Wizard need food badly (I'm a fan of the Gauntle games) and At Least I'm Not Like All Those Other Old Guys (I'm a 24 year old college grad still hanging out with all my college friends and noone else). Now on to the live show. It was phenomenal, capturing all the aspect a Five Iron show. My only complaint was that they did not do pootermobile and the modified version for Relient K that they did at Cornerstone NC. The end with Amazing Grace and Silent Night was amazing! It is well worth $13.98 (actually is well worth the normal $24.99 that most double CD's cost). If you only buy one more album this year it should be this one (But you really should buy any other Five Iron albums you don't own as well as both Brave Saint Saturn albums if you don't have them).

FIF Paints their Final Masterpiece
This album is so unbelievably creative, FIF really outdid themselves. The only track I had heard before buying the CD was Cannonball, which is an amazing song. Next is my favorite track, "At Least I'm Not like all those other old guys" which combines a really cool guitar riff with a really cool horn part and really coool lyrics. Other good songs include: See the flames begin to crawl, new year's eve, farewell to arms, cross of st. andrew, and basically the whole friggin album.

The greatest and latest Five Iron Frenzy
The End is Here. The title of the greatest and latest Five Iron Frenzy Album. It should only be fitting that the groups final album should be the best of them all. In their usual style, FIF deals with serious topics while presenting them in a humorous fashion. From the beginning all the way to the end, the album delivers a fun and up beat feel. Even though FIF is a Ska and Punk band and this album is no exception, however they are able to convey a sound that anyone can enjoy. They begin their album with the fast paced "Cannonball" which sets its fun, fast pace. "New Years Eve" may be one of there more serious songs, dealing with all those failed and forgotten resolutions. And "American Kryptonite," is a statement of the our post-modern society, "It was like the Manifest Destiny all over again, except, instead of taking and consuming everything in their paths for God, they did so with the same fervor and sense of entitlement for their new god... themselves." "Something Like Laughter" is a upbeat song about the hopelessness we can feel sometimes, then realizing God brings hope and life. "All your sins can be forgiven,
all of this was always free. Jesus loves without condition, this is what freedom means to me." is boldly pronounced in the final track of the album, "The Cross of Saint Andrew." Even better is the fact that this Album comes with a second disc, which delivers their last concert. Any fan of Five Iron Frenzy should be proud, and any one who previously did not care for Punk or Ska, might be surprised when they hear this album. I give The End Is Here a solid 4 out of 5.

FIF goes out on top
Even though I had heard all the songs on the studio side of this album when Five Iron released "The End Is Near" earlier in 2003(with the exception of bonus track "The Cross of St. Andrew"), I was still extremely excited to pick this CD up when it came out. As a long term Five Iron fan, I consider this to be the most well-rounded album that the band has ever released. Mixing the lyrical humor and wit of Resse Roper with their trademark punk/ska sound (as well as a health dose of nostalgia), FIF fills this album out with some of their most meaningful and entertaining material ever. This is excluding the 2nd disc live album, which is OUTSTANDING. I was in the audience at their final show at the Fillmore in Denver, CO and listening to this album took me right back to where I was when I was at the concert. Five Iron easily sounds just as good on this live album as they do in the studio, and it contains many of their crowd favorites. So whether you pick this CD up just to check out the studio side, or because you want to hear some good quality, live Five Iron Frenzy (even better than the previous "Proof that the Youth are Revolting"), you wont be dissapointed. Just buy this CD. ... Read more

Album Description

The 1st Ska Supergroup!!: Justin Evil (Jeffries Fan Club, Longfellow) on the drums, Chris Evil (JFC, the Specials) on trombone, Derek Evil (JFC) bass, Jay Evil (The Scholars) on trumpet, Jonny Evil (Lone Raspberry) on the trombone and Aaron (Reel Big Fish) singing and playing guitar.The Forces of Evil were created to breathe new life into the Orange County ska scene. In January of 2001 when Jeffries Fan Club played their last show, many wondered what would happen to the Orange County ska scene. This is where Reel Big Fish vocalist Aaron Evil's plan came to fruition. "I like the old ska scene. I miss it and I want to bring it back," said Aaron. So armed with an idea, Aaron approached the Jeffries Fan Club drummer, bassist and trombone players at the show and asked if they wanted to play ska with him. The three said yes and the Forces of Evil were born. Once the Forces of Evil family was complete, they embarked on a mission to bring the same light, bouncy, horn-infused ska music that they had been playing for years to a new generation.

Before the release of a five-song EP in June of 2002, the band played numerous live shows andcaptivated audiences with songs like "Vague Love Song" and "My Life" as well as covers like Van Halen's "Dance the Night Away" and "Go to Hell" by Suburban Rhythm. These tasty gems are just a few of the offerings on their full-length release, Friend Or Foe.

With the full-length album, Friend Or Foe, due October 21, prepare for the Forces of Evil to invade a town near you. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Great stuff
a kajillion times better than RBF's new album. this is just plain old good ska. very well written. pick it up pick it up pick it up today!

Buy this CD!
I have nothing else to say but that this is ska at its best. It is unadulterated, no-holds-barred, fun, uplifting, angry, happy, skank your ass off music. Buy it and you'll see what I mean. Words can't do it justice.

sick of new reel big fish?
back in the days of turn the radio off and even why do they rock so hard, reel big fish was my favorite ska band. but, their most recent release, Cheer Up, was very dissapointing (to say the least) and it sounds too poppy, not enough ska. so, when i heard that aaron barrett was in a new (good) ska band called forces of evil, i had to check them out. needless to say, i eventually bought Friend or Foe, and its so hard to NOT listen too. if you love the good ol' days of ska, please buy this album.

Aaron Barrett is God
its so great that this album finally got released in stores...being a huge reel big fish fan i've known about the forces of evil for about 2 years now, and picked up their first ep at a reel big fish show i was at, and seriously couldn't stop listening to it until friend or foe was released....not sure exactly what month it was released on their website, but i got it as soon as i was able to, and seriously haven't stopped listening to it...i know alot of people compare it to old reel big fish but it definately doesn't sound like them at all...its hard to say exactly what they sound like, the best way to describe it is if aaron barrett fronted a local ska band, like theres no record company pressure, no mainstream pressure etc...its just pure ska punk....
five songs on the cd (my life, angry anthem, mistake, independant, and vague love song) appeared on the ...because we care ep, those songs are some of the best on the album, my personal favorite it mistake....the music is incredible and the lyrics are amazing, its seriously one of the best ska songs ever written in my opinion....vague love song is another highlight of the collection. the forces of evil also cover two songs on the album: suburban rhythm's go to hell, and van halens dance the night away...both of which they put their own spin on, especially the van halen song, they definately do them both justice.....another highlight of the album is worst day, its i guess if you had to classify it ska-pop, its such a great song....aaron barrett proves that hes definately one of the most powerful figures in ska, the album ends with fight (for your right to skank) which was written as the theme song for ska summit 2003, so basically thats the review, if you like ska, you must own this cd, its not even a joke

Aaron Barrett has brought some skank back into our step
Aaron Barrett's side project the Forces of Evil has created a fantastic album, Friend or Foe, that catches all of the skanktastic spirit that Reel Big Fish used to have. The songs are heavily laced with profanity, all perfectly placed to make some of the most sarcastic songs ever. Friend or Foe proves to RBF fans everywhere that Aaron still has the right stuff. The only question left to ask is, why can't he make an album like this with Reel Big Fish?! Aaron Barrett, I salute you, and can't wait till you come back to Rochester. ... Read more

Album Description

After writing and/or producing for The Used, Story of the Year, Mest and Good Charlotte, John Feldmann returns his own pop-punk kamikaze band Goldfinger to the sonic wars with Disconnection Notice. After ten years, several indie albums and thousands of shows--including last summer's Reading Festival performing before 80,000 fans-Goldfinger's first Maverick disc finds the magic touch. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This Southern California band certainly has reason to be in good spirits lately. Its fidgety brand of ska-punk went kaput a few years ago, and while they watched several of their contemporaries rinse away, the members of Reel Big Fish inexplicably now find themselves on the same label as platinum pop stars Britney Spears and 'N Sync. Good for them. Cheer Up! is the kind of feisty, kinetic album that people stopped making years ago--"Ban the Tubetop" is pure Oingo Boingo frivolity, "What Are Friends For" revisits the tubular splendor of Fishbone, while "Good Thing" wouldn't sound entirely out of place on a vintage Elvis Costello disc. Not quite as knowingly hip as Sum 41, and clearly not as commercially savvy as No Doubt, Reel Big Fish occupy a precarious position, and they know it. The intro to "Where Have You Been?," the closest thing they have going to a Blink-182 song, features an answering-machine message left by a disgruntled record company employee begging for just one "modern rock" single. As if.--Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (89)

RBF continues to grow
Since the first day I heard them on the internet and one morning waking up for work and hearing Sell Out being played on the radio, I have been a huge fan.

This album just blew me away. Yes, there is less of the ska influence and a move towards power pop, but power pop with horns. Unlike the feeling of some other reviewers, I don't feel they have lost their sense of humor at all. 'Rock and Roll is Bitchin'' is one of the funniest songs I've heard outside of 'This is Spinal Tap', 'Ban the Tubetop' and 'Dateless Loser' along with the majority of the rest of the tracks have a sense of humor that is is just as funny as the old stuff, but with a sense of maturity that is also evident in their musicianship, and who gives a [***]if they don't swear as much...that's already overdone and old...the shock value is gone and it's time to play the music.
The variety of styles blends seamlessly in this album and I hope it won't be another 4 years to hear something else from this talented band. 'Turn the Radio Off' is still one of my most played CD's and along with the rest of the RBF catalog, 'Cheer Up' is a more than welcome addition.

Forget what you THOUGHT you knew about Reel Big Fish...
well, not really. dont forget, but keep your mind open as you scramble to the record store to buy this fabulous album. no joke, this album really hits the mark. to me, if a record is good, it's songs will stick in your head, it will make you laugh at some point, and the musicians are actually talented, not just yelling or playing messy guitar.
this album delivers, point blank. the vocals, provided by a surprisingly talented Aaron Barrett, give the whole cd a polished and professional feel. his writing and vocal style (jazz to punk to classical to funk) constitutes opening an "aaron barrett vocal school" that all other ska band singers should enroll in. the horns, bass, guitars, drums and keyboard blend perfectly together, almost like one person is playing all of them on one mega-super musical instrument. it really is amazing!

personal favorites include:

Suckers- a hilarious romp of an "i hate love" song that is half a joke and half serious

What are friends for- intelligent lyrics, plus a beat that makes me wanna dance. and i hate to dance, people!

New york, new york- a great acapella version of the frank classic. singing, drums, and horns all done by the human mouth!

Dateless losers- someone finally wrote a song about my life! thanks guys.

Boss dj- a killer sublime cover done up reggae-style. its quite a good song, trust me. makes you jive in the car.

once more, buy this album and make good use of your money. this music can make you feel justified, happy, listless, and satisfied.

How can I "Cheer Up" when listening to this album.
It really suprises me when people say that this is the best album by RBF. Maybe this is my opinion, but i don't buy RBF CDs to get cheap sounding ska-pop, I buy RBF for the good ska, good lyrics. I don't really care for the cutesy, popish lyrics and this album is not one you can skank to, either. The guys in RBF are some of the most talented musicians out there, i just think that in this album they catered more to the mainstream pop instead of giving us old RBF fans something to skank to and enjoy like previous albums. I am hoping that the next album will be a return to a sound similar to their previous albums.

ALPHA-BETA-GAMMA IS REVEIWING "CHEER UP"
I AM SURE THERE IS A SONG THAT ATLEAST ONE PERSON LIKES.FROM THE JAZZY TRUMPETS TO THE PUNK,THERE IS SOMETHING EVERYBODY WOULD LOVE.THERE ARE SOME ALBUMS THAT HAVE ONE OR TWO GOOD SONGS ONLY.BUT THIS ONE IS INCREDIBLE.THERE ARE 16 SONGS ON THIS ALBUM AND THERE ARE ONLY TWO THAT I DONT LIKE.THE REST ARE AWESOME.BUY THIS.

Not their old stuff, but is that a bad thing?
First of all, I'd like to address all those people who think this album sucks. Obviously you haven't heard anything on this album because the sound quality is amazing. I say this as a musician, so I think my opinion is as valid as any other person's. The harmonies are perfect and the overall sound is tight, crisp, and clear. Not to mention the overall music talent that this amazing group possesses. To go from a so-called "true ska band" to an a-capella group is pretty damn amazing, if you ask me. So what if they sound like a pop/punk band? Their sound quality has, in my opinion, improved over the years. They've also been good at adapting to the constantly-changing music atmosphere. Some of the greatest bands/musicians of our time have been able to accomplish that. Shall I name a few? Let's see, now. Billy Joel, Aerosmith, Carlos Santana, Metallica (although much less well-received than some of the others I've mentioned), Bruce Springstein, and the list goes on. The fact that they have the ability to change their sound is testament to the kind of band that they are. Ska isn't anywhere near as popular as it was a few years ago, and RBF obviously needed to tweak their sound in order to stay afloat. And they've succeeded. Let's see what their next album brings. I'm a huge fan of Turn the Radio Off and Why Do They Rock So Hard, and frankly, I was happy to hear something new from them. Those people who think this album sucks simply want to hear the old stuff. But that music isn't popular anymore. Ska doesn't have a market like it used to. So don't punish a band for sounding good. If you have an appreciation for good music, then definitely get this album. ... Read more

Amazon.com

On their follow-up to 1999's Right Back, the Long Beach Dub Allstars continue stirring their musical melting pot. Wonders of the World combines heavy dub, shimmery pop, bouncy ska, and aggro alt-rock into a disc that roller-coasters between spaced out ("Wonders Dub II" and "Grass Cloud") and punked out ("No Way"). The ex-Sublime members also pulled in some talent from the hip-hop world, getting will.i.am from Black Eyed Peas on "Sunny Hours" and Chali2na from Jurassic 5 on "Life Goes On." Even with all the special appearances and genre-crossing, though, the Allstars don't crack the surface, covering the same ground that bands like Sugar Ray and 311are already treading. While the band does flow seamlessly between rock and reggae, Wonders of the World feels coated in a tepid, radio-friendly gloss that, despite a few bright spots, dulls by the end of the disc. --Jennifer Maerz ... Read more

Reviews (24)

what's everyone's problem with this album?
There seem to be a lot of negative reviews for this album. I don't see why, So it's not Sublime. Big deal.

Wonders Dub I- good intro, but could've been longer. A

Sunny Hours- the radio hit from this album, featuring Will.I.Am. Great happy summer song. A+

Listen to DJs- great reggae track. Pays tribute to the greats of dancehall, such as Johnny Osbourne, Mad Cobra, Josey Wales, and Admiral Bailey. A+

Rolled Up- title sounds like a weed song, but isnt. catchy and radio-friendly with a light ska-pop vibe. A

Every Mother's Dream- high-energy punk song, i think its a cover. somewhat reminiscent of "paddle out" from Sublime's self-titled. B+

Life Goes On- great hip-hop/reggae song with 3 guest vocalists including Chali2na from Jurassic 5 and Tippa Irie. A

It Ain't Easy- another solid song with upbeat ska rhythms. A-

Luke- great slow reggae tune with cool story. A

Wonders Dub II- an improvement on WDI mainly because it's longer. A

No Way- more of an edgy ska-metal vibe. not that great. B-

Lonely End- back to the smooth reggae. great lyrics. A

Talkin tha Truth- my favorite on the second half of the album. the closest they'll come to an anti-drug song ("Stick to da weed!) anti-heroin lyrics no doubt inspired by brad nowell's untimely death A+

Free Love- the album kinda weakens for a few tracks here. good reggae song about having a 3-way. C

Lies- "Lies wont set you free-- so why do foolish things?" B-

Kablammin It- VERY sexual song about, well, kablammin it. the music sounds like a "caress me down" retread. kinda funny though. B-

Grass Cloud- a 6+ minute long instrumental encompassing evry style implemented by LBDAS from quasi-dub turntablism at the start to heavy punk guitars at the end. B+

Sunny Hours (Reprise)- the original without the rap or loud guitar. its just as good or better than the original. A+

I can't take it out of my cd player!
I don't know why i am seeing so many complaints in other people's reviews! I can't find a song on there that isn't solid. First of all, I am shocked that Sunny Hours isn't a bigger radio hit. I am not the type of self important supposedly "huge fans" who lets radio airplay influence my opinion of a song. The beat is eerily similar to that of "What I Got", and the sampling is well done. As for the reprise, it was probably the song with the highest replay value on the entire disc. Rolled Up displays the voice of Opie Ortiz. Every Mother's Dream and No Way are heavy fast punk tracks, but they are also very memorable. Lies sounds almost (dare I say?) Limp Bizkit-esque. Despite its similarity to rap-rock crap, it's message basically blasts the whole genre. Kablammin' It, and Free Love are more mellow, chill type songs, while Grass Cloud and the Wonders Dubs are dubbing like Sublime was known for. Overall, the cd is great all the way through. It's longevity remains to be seen, but the variety of music on it will keep you coming back.

Best Cd In A Long Time
Lately, I have realized that not a lot of real good music have been put out in the past years. One day i was searching in the mall for a new cd i would want to try out. I rembered hearing about a band formed with some of the remaining members of Sublime. I found it in the store and brought in home. The first few times I didn't really like it. After a few times I started to like more. After like a month I would listen to it at least once a day. the cd starts out great With Sunny Hours feat Will I Am and Rolled up, both songs at least up to par with good Sublime songs. It gets even better with songs like Life Goes On, It Aint easy and No Way. The cd finishes a little slow with another suuny hours and grass clouds which is instrumental but still hits some good songs like talkin the truth and kablammin it. Exept for the two just mentioned, this cd is all A material and should be a part of any Sublime liking fan or any fan of just music. It doesn't get that much attention but is definitely worth it. plus it has an awesome cd cover.

The kind of blend we like.
Can't imagine this is for everyone, but for us musiclovers who likes surprises, it's a treat. Haven't heard much Sublime so I guess they're next.
The peak of this album is the fantastic usage of F.Zappa's "I'm the Slime" on Luke, that by itself is a cool song but with a little help from the slime is a masterpiece.
Nicely sung, playfully played using many instruments (which I for one love) and rapped with a cool that noone will resist.
Some of the solos is a bit out of place, where the song'd be better off without. But, it's a great album and I'll bring it to the beach.

Another Must Have Album for Sublime Fans
I'm a big fan of Sublime albums, and now Dub Allstar ones too. I have all ways enjoyed reggae, and these guys deliver it with some dub, and a little punk. I was bummed when I learned that Bud had left to form Eyes Adrift and Eric and RAS had started Long Beach Shortbus. But I think the Allstars were formed to finish some unfinished business, and now Eric and Bud have gone their own ways to make their own marks. If your a Sublime fan try the Shortbus CD. If your a Sublime junky try the Juice Bros on the Skunk comp "Long Beach Blvd." There is a good live version of Every Mother's Dream on "When Punkers Were Punk" sung by the original singer - with Mike McCready of Pearl Jam on guitar, and Eric on bass. ... Read more

Amazon.com

You can't accuse Smash Mouth of not knowing which way the wind's blowing. If Astro Lounge moved away from ska-punk in the direction suggested by "Walkin' on the Sun," Smash Mouth follows through on the band's latest breakthrough, the ebullient cover of "I'm a Believer," which was playing everywhere in the summer of 2001. "If you're not down with us, you're down below," Steve Harwell sings in "The In Set," and he's only partly kidding. They can repeat themselves ("She Turns Me On" might as well be called "Walkin' on Venus"), and guitarist Greg Camp's songs have gotten, perhaps, a little less politically engaged--the goofy "Sister Psychic" concerns Miss Cleo. Still, they're mostly playing to their strengths: Harwell's inimitable Cali rasp/whine and their ability to switch styles on a dime every few seconds. (The collision of a three-chord garage-rock chorus with Barry White strings in "Pacific Coast Party" is especially juicy.) Only a couple of slow ones break up the lightweight fun. --Douglas Wolk ... Read more

Reviews (54)

If you love Smash Mouth like me...
"Smash Mouth" is a good follow-up to the great "Astro Lounge". Fans of that CD will enjoy this one. Those hoping the band would return to the sound of "Fush Yu Mang" will be disappointed. There are no "pop punk" classics to be found here like the great "Let's Rock". What is to be found is a nice set of "radio possible" songs. The only song screaming "Play me to the masses!!!" is the already popular "Pacific Coast Party". The rest of the songs will require airplay and a few plays to catch on unless you're a Smash Mouth fan. "Pacific Coast Party" is also the only track that is instantly confused with a disco track (it's catchy and I like it but it didn't hook me at first). The greatest things about the music, as with all Smash Mouth songs, is the underlying upbeat feel, the humor, and the sense that the band is smiling while they're playing. It's like their telling you "We're having fun and you will too". This is remarkable considering the tough times the band has gone through (If you read this, Steve, my heart goes out to you and your family). Give this a listen on a nice headset and it'll hook you the first time out.

Another Masterpiece From Smash Mouth
So here I am holding the new Smash Mouth CD. I've been waiting two years for this... This CD is really great. If you loved Astro Lounge you'll love this one. I think they could have thought of a better title though...well anyway onto the (really good) song reviews: HOLIDAY IN MY HEAD 5/5: One of my favorites from the CD. This has a nice beat and a catchy chorus. Apparently this is going to be a single from the CD. YOUR MAN 5/5: Another one of my favorites. It's been constantly stuck in my head since I've heard. I love the chorus. PACIFIC COAST PARTY 4/5: Supposedly the first single from the album even though "I'm A Believer" was out. It's sort of a wierd violin-disco-rock blend. It's nice to see how they experiment with their songs. This was actually written by Paul Delisle (Bass) rather than Greg Camp (Guitar) who writes most of their songs. This is the only song with an unedited swear in it. SHE TURNS ME ON 4/5: This song is right out the "Walking on the Sun" Book. And I mean that as a good thing. I like the guitar riff. SISTER PSYCHIC 5/5: This is my favorite song from the CD. The chorus is really cool and it has a nice beat. This is supposed to be about Lady Cleo, you know, the psychic lady on TV? OUT OF SIGHT 3/5: This is a good song, I just don't like slow ones as much. FORCE FIELD 4/5: This is the second song with a swear in it, and its edited! I like the lyrics in this one. SHOES 'N' HATS 5/5: Another one of my favorites. It's about them dressing how they want to, I think. It has a cool chorus. HOLD YOU HIGH 4/5: This is an Ok song, but the beat gets kind of repetitive. THE IN SET 4/5: I like this song, the bass riff is cool. DISENCHANTED 3/5: Another decent song, but I'm sorry, it's slow and that bothers me usually. At the end theres a wierd segment of sound where one of them broke their headphones or something. You can hear them laughing and talking. KEEP IT DOWN 4/5: This is a wierd song, but I like it. It starts quiet, and sounds like it's going to get loud, but them Steve Harwell (Vocals) shushes them and says "Keep it down now, just keep it now" At the end it goes into this cool drum beat thing(Just think I should mention that it's play by Michael Unbano, the new drummer) with wierd sounds. It's kinda psychidelic, but I like it. I'M A BELIEVER 5/5: This is the cover of the popular Monkees song. This was a radio over last summer. It's a really good song.

Well, well, well...That wraps up my review of "Smash Mouth" the next insanely great album from Smash Mouth. Thank you, goodnight.

Smashmouths Peak Album (Publically)
This was without a dout Smash Mouth at their best with the public, and it is also my favorite album of theirs. This is ther peak album because Fush Yu Mang only got thigs started for them and had one hit song. Astro Lounge is what many people consider to Smashmouth's Public Peak album, but in reality that was just the beggining of them being the famous band they are today, when people bagn to realize that they were not one-hit wonders. In this album, people being aware they were not one-hit wonders, Smash Mouth, with about 3, more than any other SM album, hit songs coming off this album, and everyone now beingaware of Smash Mouth being a Modern Rock Super Band, Smash Mouth was seemingly everywere. Then on the most recent album, Get The Picture, there was almost no public going on with that, the only radio song was that terrible "You Are My Number One" Man, that song is heck. And "Hang On" in Cat In The Hat and "Hot" from the Hotwheels chemercials, which are both good songs either way, didn't really help, but anyway, heres this album.
The album begins with "Holiday In My Head", a fun song, normal typical SMashmouth Guitar/Keyboard Cross, with a very cool riff. Nice song, I give it 9/10
The next song was "Your Man". A cool song, kind of a cross between Blink-182 style punk and typical Smashmouth, I loved it! 10/10
Then there was "Pacific Coast Party" which was a strange cross between 70's Disco and Hard Rock Guitar Bashing, enjoyable and cool. 10/10
Following PCP there was "She Turns Me On", which is kind of a Classic Rock meets James Bond Song, catchy, oonce again, with a cool guitar riff 9/10
After this was "Sister Pshyic", this was sort of a combination of *NYSYNC and sort of Hard Rock thrashing. A little too keyboardy for my tastes but other than that it was o.k. 8/10
Following this was "Out Of Sight" the only acoustic song on the album. I personally kind of like slow songs, especially in an album that is generally electric guitar dominated likethis album, it adds a diversity of style. 9/10
Then was "Force Field" which was a real all and out Techno/Rock song, cool guitar effects mixed in with spacy keyboards. Strange, yet satisfying. 10/10
After this was "Hats N' Shoes" which was a punk song, it kind of reminded me of something Green Day would do, once again, it had a really cool guitar riff. My favorite song on the album. 10/10
Following Hats N' Shoes was "Hold You High", it was a strange Techno/Disco song, at first listen it didn't appeal to me much, but it grows on you in a wierd way 7/10
Following that was "The Inset", this is another song when Greg Camp seems to ignore his amazing ability on the guitar and lets keyboards do the work. There were indeed alot of guitars in this song, but the riff was a keyboard riff. I think that Greg Camp should cut the keyboards out of his songs and show his guitar ability more. Other than that great song 9/10
Then there was "Disenchanted:, it was this wierd jazz thing. This wasn't real Smashmouth at all. My least favorite sonmg on the album. 5/10.
Then there was "Keep It Down" Which I actually really enjoyed, although it was starnge. 10/10
Finally the "I'm A Believer" cover. Need I say anything 10/10.

Well, thats all, now a word of advice for Smashmouth, Greg, your a great guitar player, show your ability more, less keyboard, and make your stuff a little more like Fush Yu Mang. thats all.

What happened?
I really idn't like this cd that much...i was hoping it would be like FYM but they just got 60's or something...s#*t

Great CD!
As if I wasn't already a fan of Smash Mouth because of "Walkin' On The Sun", "Then The Morning Comes", & "All Star", then they do a cover of the Monkees' "I'm A Believer". (Contrary to a previous review, the Monkees did the song first, Smash Mouth's is a cover.) Smash Mouth did a FANTASTIC version of it, & the rest of the disc is just as good.

I'm really looking forward to more CDs from these guys! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Exactly what it's supposed to be....
The release of this new "20th Century Masters - The Best Of Sublime - The Millenium Collection" cd has it's purposes.

First off, Greatest Hits as of right now is out of print. Therefore, this album seems to have replaced Greatest Hits. In my opinion, this new best of Sublime cd should've been released instead of Greatest Hits. This new cd was set up much better than Greatest Hits. It has a really writing on Sublime's music by one of Subime's former managers inside the cd's booklet. Though the pictures found in the booklet have already been seen by most fans, the art inside and info's were set up quite nicely and organized.

This is the type of cd that you can bring to a party and play the whole thing through. Rather than bring all your Sublime cd's, this one cd manages to give enough tastes of Sublime, giving you 10 of the most appealing songs Sublime made.

What is great about this album is how many of the tracks have been remastered. There is much better quality on Badfish and Smoke Two Joints on this cd than there was on the album "40 Oz. To Freedom". What I had hoped for the song "Greatest-Hits" happened on this cd. The song was truly remastered. It can't sound any better than on this cd.

This type of cd isn't made to attract old fans to buy. These are for fans who have never bought a Sublime cd, or have only heard a few songs, or basically only want one cd and want just the best most appealing songs.

I already have had all 6 main Sublime albums released for years now. I never bought Greatest Hits, I thought it was a rip off cuz not only was it ten songs, but it was majorly overpriced.
This new best of cd has a great lower price.

The reasons I give this release 4 stars is because there are a few things that I must critique.

The cd contains 10 songs for a total of 31 minutes. There are other 20th century masters cd's that contain 12 tracks. This album should've had 12 songs on it. 10 songs just doesn't feel like enough when so much more could fit.

Date Rape, Smoke Two Joints, and Badfish were the 3 songs from 40 Oz. To Freedom that got rock radio play on certain stations. These 3 are also stand outs from the album "40 Oz. To Freedom" that no fan can really deny.

Saw Red is always a predictable choice for the fact that Gwen Stefani of No Doubt sings with Brad on this song. Though the acoustic solo version of Saw Red done just by Bradley Nowell on his acoustic guitar is much better, this punk/ska version of Saw Red has always been good. The addition of the song Greatest-Hits to this collection could bring a smile to some fans. This track is one of the fan favorites. There isn't really any "radio-friendly" type songs on Sublime's second album "Robbin' The Hood", so the compilers did what they could in choosing these two songs.

For Self-Titled, there are 4 obvious selections which are the singles (What I Got, Santeria, Wrong Way, Doin' Time). April 29, 1992 is one of the most well known Sublime songs out there. It also got its fair share of amounts of radio play on Rock stations.

It was a sin for them not to include the song "40 Oz. To Freedom" on this. The song has always been one of Sublime's stand out songs, and it was on Sublime's "Greatest Hits" cd..

Another song that is missed on this album is "Pool Shark". "Pool Shark can be considered one of the most important songs Sublime ever wrote. It is in my opinion, the most emotional song Bradley Nowell ever sang. Maybe the quite short punk version did not fit in well with this album, but they could've put in a mixed version of Pool Shark with both the acoustic and electric versions on the same track. This mix of Pool Shark was released on a certain Sublime import that mixed songs from 40 Oz. To Freedom and Robbin' The Hood. Even if they could have, maybe the they just didn't want to waste any more time on this release putting in a rare cut and just wanted to put in songs that they didn't have to do much to.

Though I do already have all the albums and I listen to them all occasionaly, I'm finding myself leaning alot towards this cd. This album contains a bunch of songs that I find myself skipping to the most when listening to a Sublime cd.

A couple of hardcore Sublime fans have asked for a Sublime box set. Though many die hard fans have wished for it, a box set may not make sense for them to release. First off all, we already have all the albums. Second, we have alot of unreleased stuff on bootlegs and such. Lastly, after 6 and a half years, there may not be a large enough fanbase to purchase a boxset, or have interest in one. Even if there is more unreleased tracks, they may be unreleased for reasons. Maybe Brad and the band didn't want to ever release certain tracks. Maybe it's that Sublime's unreleased stuff, though good, cannot match up to what they did release, unlike in the case of Nirvana.

If you're a person who has not heard that much from Sublime yet, buy this album first. It will lead you to buying their albums "Sublime" and "40 Oz. To Freedom" and then lead you to buy the rest of their albums. This best of Sublime cd is a near perfect introduction to Sublime.

Even if you're already a fan of Sublime and have all their released tracks as well as some unreleased songs, this album is still worth getting. The cover art, the pretty well chosen song selection, the noticible remastered tracks, and it's low price are enough to even attract already Sublime fans. This album is more of a collector's item for already fans.

Not bad very good
I think this is a great comp. I bought this when it first came out. I have worked at a college radio station for a long time and I never really understood why Sublime was so overrated by my friends. Even though the guy died before the band became famous, there was something my friends saw in their music. A 20th Century Masters collector I am, I went out and bought this, and discovered greatness. "What I Got" was an overplayed hit with its pointless remixes, but now I understand because of this CD that Sublime put out some good schtuff. "Doin' Time" a song I had never heard before is definitely a chill-out laid back song. "Date Rape" and "April 1992" are great ones too. Even though I am not a huge Sublime fan like many, I can see why others complain about the song selection and length of tunes. But overall, I finally saw the band's personality with this one.

Buy it now!!!!
Great CD.... short but definatly worth every penny and more

R U 4 GETTING THE CD IS ONLY 7.99 ?
I think some people would complain if they ate a terd and it tasted bad. I've never seen this CD priced higher than 10 bucks, I got it for less than that. So what do you expect. Sure I'd be willing to pay 20 something dollars for a double disc CD of SUBLIME's greatest, but until that comes out I'll listen to WHAT I GOT, REMEMBER THAT! I mean gosh didn't you turn the CD over and read the track list before you bought it? Just go get in bed and try getting up on the other side. How frugal are you anyway?

Edits?!!!
Okay There are only ten songs...And they're edited for content...if you don't want to buy all of the albums, get a copy of their greatest hits album, at least then you have the choice of explicit lyrics or not. ... Read more

Album Description

1994 reissue of compilation of early recordings from 1977 byWarsaw, an early moniker for the Mancunian act Joy Division.This pressing features 17 raw, but respectable cuts, including five bonus tracks: 'Inside The Line', 'At A Later Date', 'Gutz', 'The Kill' and 'You're No Good For Me'. Others include 'Failures', 'Leaders Of Men', 'They Walked InLine', 'Novelty', 'No Love Lost', 'Transmission', 'Living InThe Ice Age', 'Interzone', 'Warsaw' and 'Shadowplay'. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Raw Punk
If you want early joy division without the processed drums, intense reverb and the heavy darkness, this album is for you. I pretty much learned how to play GOOD punk guitar by listening to this music. Raw British tone with childlike blasts up and down the blues scales make this record full of energy and great sounding riffs.

I especially like the version of "interzone" found here. It is much more stripped down and punk. The drums sound real and live, unlike that (...) drum machine tone on the later version. The vocals are similar to the Keith Morris era of black flag, high and dry.

If you are into wire (pink flag) and gang of four (entertainment) -- (and for some strange reason aren't hip to the warsaw trip), you've gotta get this.

Essential for fanatics
This is a bootleg, rather than a band-sanctioned official release. Three of these songs also appear on the "Heart and Soul" boxed set (The Drawback, Shadowplay, Interzone), and the sound quality is notably better there than here. However, the sound quality of this bootleg is really pretty good; you can enjoy the music unimpeded. There is, however, apparently a pristine sounding German bootleg out there somewhere.

The final five songs constitute the band's earliest demo, from July 1977. At that point they were called Warsaw, and you can hardly perceive Joy Division in the breakneck punk frenzy. Interesting evidence of how quickly the band evolved, but little more.

Five months later, the band (now nearly called Joy Division) recorded the excellent e.p. "An Ideal for Living," which is included in full on "Heart and Soul" and "Substance." In May 1978, they did sessions for a planned RCA album, which never saw release. This "Warsaw" cd includes those sessions in full. To my knowledge, only three (of the total eleven) recordings from these sessions have been released officially (see above). Because all four songs from the "Ideal for Living" e.p. are rerecorded here (in, I think, inferior versions), that puts the burden of value of this cd on a mere four remaining songs.

And they're pretty damn cool: a crisp (vocals all intelligible) "Walked in a Line," a slower "Transmission," a fiestier "Novelty," and a solid "Ice Age." The well-known recordings of these songs date from a year to two years later, so these are quite distinctive. If you're a fanatic, you want everything on this cd. If you're simply a big fan, these four tracks are worth checking out.

Raw version of debut album
This was an interesting release as it is the first recordings that Joy Division did under the name Warsaw before changing their name to Joy Division. Some parts of the recording are just so so but I till enjoyed for what it was (an insight for what was to come). A fantastic release worth picking up if you are a fan of Joy Division.

far better than STILL
I haven't actully heard this version, but I have the original bootleg mentioned in the Amazon critics review that this came off. My records have been in storage for 8 years so I just heard the officially released compilation 'STILL' and the bootleg after about nine years. My first reaction is to blame Martin Hanett who on STILL absolutely smothers the original takes in wash-over and wash-out production. Frankly, when you consider this was first recorded in 1977, anyone familiar with that era should realise Warsaw's demos were already far superior to 99 percent of official releases that year, both in concept and in delivery. I put it in the same category as Televison's Marquee Moon in terms of blowing me away from the first listen, and now I am in my late 40's I find that a lot of the Punk and New Wave stuff sounds dated now, but not this. Since I am writing this, I may as well throw in that I have also found the first SImple Minds ALbum (Reel to Reel Cacophony) another which has stood the test of time and should by rights be remembered as their best record. If this Warsaw album is as good as the bootleg I have, any self respecting JD fan (who doesn't already have the original) should rush out and get this.

a thumbnail sketch, also a punk era classic that never was
That's basically what this is. Lop off those throwaway tracks at the end and that's what you've got. All the songs are actually very good in this form; many of them were rerecorded when JD developed their style, and they quite frankly weren't that good in their newer forms (see "Still" which had a few songs from here), but here they sound fine.

I'd give this a 5 but I cannot because of the throwaways at the end. They're good for historical purposes and that is all. ... Read more

Reviews (101)

The Fury Of The Aquabats
I gave this cd 5 stars but it should be 6/5. This by FAR the best ska album I have ever heard. With songs like "Super Rad" ,"Red Sweater" ,"Lobster Bucket" ,"Idiot Box" ,"Captain Hampton And The Midget Pirates" ,"Powdered Milk Man" and so many more hits.

Here is a list of the tracks along with my ratings and descriptions.

1 Super Rad(10/10) This song is nothing short of its name. "I have a small friend..."
2 Red Sweater(10/10) A love song with kick but lyrics and fast drums. Rock on Travis
3 Magic Chicken(10/10) This is a true Aquabats song about a guys obsession with chickens.
4 Fight Song(6/10) Cool Sounds but NO LYRICS. #1 of 3 of this cds real Flops.
5 Cat With 2 Heads(8/10) A cool song about an experiment gone wrong. This is one of those songs your in love with for like 2 weeks then it gets old and every time the song comes up you quickly press next song and say you your self "Boring". #2 of 3 of this cds real Flops.
6 Story of Nothing(10/10) A story of a guy who gets dumped feels invisible.
7 Captain Hampton and the Midget Pirates(10/10) A song for Jim Hampton and his sailing adventures. I don't want to spoil the song but there is a mini-fight scene w/ midget pirates. This is a awesome chorus.
8 Martian Girl (7-8/10) A song to a Martian Girl from planet "b"
9 Attacked by Snakes(4/10) Good song but a little to long. #3 of 3 of this cds real Flops.
10 Idiot Box (11/10) A true Aquabat song that rocks. Idiot Box = TV
11 Powdered Milk Man(9/10) A song about a powered milk man villain who comes a creepin' while your sleepin'.
12 My Skateboard(10/10) A love song. DUH?
13 Phantasma del Mar(0/10) Don't even listen to this.
14 Lobster Bucket(10/10) There are times when you find Lobsters in a bucket, cant climb out, Why don't climb away, because other lobsters pull them down. A must hear song if you like the Aquabats.
15 Theme Song (10/10) The Aquabats theme song. There's a lot in this like when monster "M" comes and the Aquabats eat dirt and stuff like that.

8/15 - PERFECT
2/15 - Awesome
3/15 - Could use work
2/15 - Suck

BUY THIS CD
p.s. This cd is out of print

What good Ska is all about!
One day while browsing through a music store, this CD caught my eye. I thought, hey it looks amusing, why not? So I bought it. When I got home, and popped it into my CD player, I was very impressed! This is by FAR my most favorite CD in my collection! The Aquabats take Ska music, as well as many other beautiful sounding instruments, and great lyrics to form a whole 16 track CD (2 bonus tracks, and 1 bonus at the end) of great music! The first time I listen to it, I laughed out loud to "The Story of Nothing", "The Cat with two heads", "Captain Hampton...", "Attacked by Snakes", and practically every other song on this CD. These guys are great musicians, and they have a great sense of humour! If you like Ska, funny lyrics, and GOOD, CLEAN music for a change, buy this CD. You will NOT be disappointed!

Aquabats rock
These guys have a new spin on music. Some of their songs are about such stupid subjects that they are funny. :o)

Once again... greatest ska album ever
All right... all you ska fans... this is IT
Well first off, i just saw the AQUABATS for the second time in my life tonight... Unlike the 1st time i saw them, this time was at a venue that was incredibly small... And i have to say, not only could this be the best band ever, but they are also some of the coolest people ever. I slapped Chainsaw on the back, and got a huge hug from the Bat Commander as he came off the stage, and my life was complete. But this album here was where i first found out about this band, probably about 5 years ago... and how i came to love them sooo much. I am 25 years old, but 90% of the people at this show were extremely young... but the best part was that their parents were there with them. Its just so great in this day and age to be able to go to a show where the parents, not only are welcome, but can also enjoy the music. I was groovin alongside 40 year olds who were digging them just as much as i was... it was AMAZING... So... if youve just recently found out about this band, or are a parent concerned about what your children are listening to... I must say THIS BAND IS THE GREATEST BAND EVER!!!

oooh,randy!
get this cd if you like the 'bats!"super rad"is their theme song,and the rest are good. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Best of the series
How wrong are some reviewers. This is one of the cds of the series I enjoyed the most. There are some real gems in this cd that now are unfortunately really living in oblivion. Take for instance Sister of Mercy by Thompson Twins or the wonderful (tough some how cheesy) You don't know by Scarlett and Black and the sophisticated new romantic sound of Digging your scene by The Blow Monkeys.
If you like the sophisticated and mannered sound that were common in some big name groups of the 80s give a try to these lesser known but excellent groups: The Blow Monkeys or Thompson Twins. You wont be dissapointed.
Anyway, this compilation really surprised me. I didn't expect to hear that many really goods songs but I did. I didn't care for two or three songs all the other ones are really great.

Enjoyable Pop Songs
Beyond the obvious hits there are some quite catchy numbers that most people (like some reviewers) will completely ignore. Go! by Tones on Tail is a radio classic, and You Don't Know by Scarlett & Black is a delight. A must-have for those open to hearing things they haven't heard a million times before.

If you valued the 80's, don't buy this product
You'd think that an 80's anthology of music would understand that it caters to an audience which is nostalgic toward that decade.

I give this two stars only because you can't take away from the 80's music, but I figure that the inane commentary on the CD booklet should be calculated in this rating too. It was highly unnecessary and insulting to 80's fans to include disparaging remarks about the decade and banal political commentary by obvious leftist sympathizers.

The Worst in the Series
Living In Oblivion, Vol. 4, contains three notably great selections: "Mexican Radio", "Under the Milky Way", and "Belly of the Whale". The rest of the songs are either monster hits that can be found anywhere (i.e. Spandau Ballet's "True", "Come On Eileen" by Dexy's Midnight Runners) or unknown songs that are obscure for a reason. The compliation team seems to have gotten lazy here and the disc is unsatisfying as a result. Avoid unless you just want to get the whole set.

Awesome 80's Hits...
Man this album takes me back to those crazy Southern California drinkin', bar hoppin' nights...If you like the 80's, this album and series is for YOU! I liked the mix of really popular and less known songs. Great Album/Series. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Solid Compilation
With any compilation CD there will be some awesome songs and others that you will pretty much skip every time and this one is no different. Overall though there are plenty of good tracks to make this worth the money. In my opinion the standout songs are those by NOFX, Anti-Flag (my favorite song on here), Bouncing Souls, Pennywise, and Pulley. New Found Glory, Yellowcard, 1208, and Flogging Molly have pretty good songs on here too. There really aren't many songs that suck except for maybe The Keys to Life vs. 15 Minutes of Fame by Atmosphere, which is a rap song and sounds way out of place on a punk compilation. Some of the bands on here I had never heard of before but they make positive contributions to this CD. So you could find a new band you like here too. Buy this to hold you over until the tour actually starts.

THIS CD ROCKS GCFAN11
Okay To gcfan11 who says that the only good bands are simple plan yellowcard and new found glory its true these are good bands but they are not the only good ones people have to give less known bands a chance and not only bands that are on mtv because alot of good bands are out there, you should'nt feel bad about not being able to go to the concert because you probably wouldnt be able to appreaciate actual punk music. this cd is good just like any other comp u gotta listen to it a couple of times before judging it its worth the price even if it was double the price.

Yup.
In response to the review before me. I would like to say that just because a band isn't on the main stage doesn't mean that they aren't good. It's people like you that I hate at the warped tour, you try so hard to dress "punk" and go there and be the "cool" you. You don't even give the other bands that are playing on a smaller stage a chance. I'm sorry they don't play on the radio, so they can't be good, because everything on MTV is the only thing you should listen because they know good music. I hope you suffocate slowly listening to your damn music.

Careful punks...
The warped tour used to be mostly punk bands with great music, but this 2 disc garbage has got to stop. This isn't much more than one big screamo fest, and as a late-twenties punker who's been to every warped tour lemme just tell you...SCREAMING does not make you punk rock! It really just makes you another in a long line of bands ripping each other off for that rad Jawbreaker sound...or whatever it is they are going for. This comp has some strong material (Alkaline Trio, Bad Religion, The Lawrence Arms, many others) but also has more junk you've never heard of and probably shouldn't. They really should go back to one-disc comps of the really good PUNK on the warped tour and get all these 8th stage wack bands off the comp. Oh yeah, lots of that generic new pop-punk stuff too (yellowturd, taking back sunday, simple plan?!?!?!?!, et al ad nauseum). I got it free w/my warped tour tickets. I wouldn't pay a dime for this lame overdone comp. But it is about 30% rockin'.

Great Collection
I got this at Hot Topic for 8 bucks!! I really got it for the first cd. Dont get me wrong, the second disc is good but I like the first better. Anyway..one issue..why were GC and SP on the Warped Tour? They are not punk at all. Anyway, great cd..!) YEARS!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The firecrackers on the sleeve give a good idea of what to expect on this Florida ska-punk group's third major-label album after a brief sojourn back in the indie world. Horns, chugging guitars, and crashing rhythms mesh to create a high-energy racket that refuses to subside until the band has rolled out its raucous closing cover version of Cheap Trick's "Surrender." The label turbulence does little to affect its angular wit, as focus returns to the heady party vibes of the group's hugely successful major label debut, Losing Streak: pogo-driven "Best Wishes to Your Black Lungs" and "That's Why They Call It a Union" are standard-issue Less Than Jake. As with the band's other releases, the music inspires clear feelings of love and hate. --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (129)

Less Than Jake Still Reigns Supreme
Okay, I'm sick of all this "LTJ Sold Out" crap. LTJ's best record was their first Major Label release with Losing Streak. Less Than Jake is still ripping it up. It saddens me that they are phasing out the horns, but that's the direction in which the band is going. Anthem is a perfect title for this disc- every song has meaning. While, Losing Streak is my favorite LTJ album, there are songs that, while they sound good, they are frivolous on the album. This cd, there's something behind EACH song. To me, that's important to a cd. There are some amazing stand out songs like "Plastic Cup Politics". Anything Roger sings has to be good. "Science" is a new venture for LTJ into the world of reggae ska and is most definitely one of my favorite LTJ tracks to date. "Motown" is straight-up what you expect from LTJ. Alot of the other tracks are reminiscient of "Rockview" and "B+B". Alot of pop-punk with horns. If that's your thing, pick this album up. If not, pick it up anyway because LTJ is amazing. Also, go see them live. They are amazing...

Less than what Less Than Jake can do
I became a Less Than Jake fan about a year and a half ago after deciding to download random songs from Hello Rockview and Losing Streak. I fell in love with them, picked up the Cd's, and decided that Less Than Jake was one of the best punk/ska acts out there. Their combination of punk & ska was perfect, their lyrics were written in a fresh, un-conventional style and were very intelligent thoughts about life itself, the vocals were amazing and in your face, and their songs were incredibly catchy. They were doing it all for the fans and their love of music. A *true* punk act in every way.

Unfortunately, those days are gone. They've sold out to the pop punk scene (very evident from the change to Warner Brothers record label, the video for Shes Gonna Break Soon(and the song itself), the fact that this disk has a CD extra, and many other things). First things first, the most disappointing thing about "Anthem" is that the ska guitar riffs, beats, and horn solos are almost completely gone in favor of mostly loud, buzzing generic pop punk guitar riffs that never really die down. The horns are used sparingly for short horn blasts in the background (and are even almost entirely absent from many songs), which usually can barely even be heard over the guitars. I almost get the impression that they'd rather not have horns at all anymore, but just stuck in a few horn blasts to give Buddy and JR something to do. So, obviously, they want to tread away from the ska scene almost completely.

The lyrics on "Anthem" are still intelligent Less Than Jake material. However, other than a few songs, this is more or less radio friendly pop-punk, except faster and with the intelligent Less Than Jake lyrics. They even remade "Look What Happened" from Boarders and Boundaries into a more upbeat, radio friendly remake. It sounded much better on Boarders and Boundaries. Oh yeah, and "Shes Gonna Break Soon" is a commercialized [song], and the remake of Cheap Trick's "Surrender" would have sounded much better if the band was still a ska punk band. Now, they're a punk band with horn players in it.

All things considered, even with the change from ska punk to just plain, more commercialized punk, this album is far from being bad. The songs may not be what we're used to from Less Than Jake, but they're still very catchy, and this still is better than ANY pop punk act out there (and still one of the best punk acts). Most Less Than Jake fans will probably be a little disappointed, but should still pick up this album (which will most likely gain Less Than Jake a lot more new fans).

Less Than Jake "Anthem"
"Welcome To The New South" 3/5
"Ghosts Of You And Me" 3/5
"Look What Happened" 5/5
"The Science Of Selling Yourself Short" 5/5
"Short Fuse Burning" 4/5
"Motown Never Sounded So Good" 3/5
"The Upwards War And Downturned Cycle" 3/5
"Escape From The A-Bomb House" 3/5
"Best Wishes To Your Black Lungs" 3/5
"She's Gonna Break Soon" 4/5
"That's Why They Call It A Union" 3/5
"Plastic Cup Politics" 4/5
"The Brightest Bulb Has Burned Out/Screws Fall Out" 4/5
"Surrender" 5/5

On their latest album, Less Than Jake have turned away their punk ear to their pop ear, with mixed results. Though the album is not bad, it's not amazing either. Some standouts include "Look What Happened" "The Science Of Selling Yourself Short" and the awesome Cheap Trick cover "Surrender."

Overall rating: Three and a half stars.

Less Than Jake's "Anthem" is their best yet
For those Less Than Jake fans that were hoping to keep this band the best kept secret in the strange genre today known as rock, well, you have another thing coming.

With "Anthem", Chris, Roger, and the rest of the gang display the powerful rifts and harmonious lyrics that make the band great. My favorite tracks are "The Science of Selling Yourself Short", "Short Fuse Burning", and the second effort of "Look What Happened".

Being a LTJ fan for more than 6 years now, I'd have to rate this as their most complete album, and yes, even more complete than "Losing Streak". Although many purists might be upset with the band trying to find their niche in the mainstream, one must not forget that music is a business and the overall objective of any band, including Less Than Jake, is to reach their fans and get their music out there. By signing with Sire the band has taken a major step forward in terms of record distribution and exposure. I've seen the band on five occasions and the last time spoke with Roger about the music business. Although he was weary about the true LTJ fans throwing the term "sell out" around, he and the rest of the band were immensely happy with "Anthem", and rightfully so. As fans we should enjoy Less Than Jake's lastest effort and let the band worry about the business end. After all, their message is still the same as it ever was.

In closing, I'd recommend "Anthem" to any Less Than Jake fan. The band has really pushed this album as their best effort yet and hopefully, with a little luck and Sire representing them, LTJ will finally get the coverage and respect they so truly deserve.

well, it was good.....
this cd was a very good cd, and i know i can turn to it when i need to be happy. now let me say i dont think at all the LTJ has sold out. they just have a strong lack of ska now. it still has ska, but not as much. they dont have as much of what they had from losing streak. to be honest, i thought this was better than hello rockview. if you want high energy punk with a twist of ska, pick this up, and you will be hooked. if you want something a lot better, pick up losing streak or anything before that. have a fun kids, and keep skankin!!! ... Read more

Reviews (211)

Could anything possibly top this?
Less Than Jake has assumed the throne of modern third-wave ska with this spectacular release. It has catchy beats, plenty of ska goodness and the evergoing less than jake humor. Just wait until you have "Richard Allen George no it's just cheez" stuck in your head. The undeniable fact is that once you pick this album up it is nearly impossible to put it down. You will find yourself listening to it 5 or 6 times in a row and always being excited to hit the play button one more time. From the blistering opener to the last song with the good chorus, "Al's war" the cd never lets up and never slows down. The infectious "five state drive" and "theme song for H street" keep you coming back. The ska tinged melodies and lighting fast punk chords are so much fun you will be embarrassing yourself dancing to them in no time.

The album as a whole is so solid that I need not even sum it up besides state that this is ska and it's extremely good ska. "History of a Boring Town" highlights the disc as being the true anthem although "Help save the youth of america from exploding" comes dang close. The former has ska verses to the ever popular chorus, in fact this song is indeed ever popular. The latter lacks ska but is a rockin' punk tune with one of those powerful choruses that make you wonder why this album doesn't sell millions and millions. My favorite songs are just about all of them, so we don't have to go down that road. I haven't been this excited since they invented those boxes that keep your pizza warm until they get it to your house. Seriously though, this album is fun catchy and although it looks silly on the outside one of the most meaningful I have heard. The antics are not for no reason, and the music is top-notch to go along with it.

A Punk/Ska masterpiece
I simply can't stress enough just how great this album is. I've been a Less Than Jake fan for about a year, and the more I hear them, the more I can't get enough of them. This is the album that started my love of the band. Other fans will tell you that Losing Streak is better, but I feel this is actually a better, more polished and more mature version of Losing Streak. Don't get me wrong, Losing Streak is great, but this is just better.

There is not a single bad track on the album. Every song is incredibly catchy and will get stuck in your head for a long time. And the amazing thing is that they never once stoop to cheesy pop punk levels throughout the entire album. The lyrics are intelligent and entirely honest thoughts on life itself. The songs sort of tell the story of a guy whos sick of life and trying to make it better for himself. The music itself, put simply, rocks. It'll make you want to dance around your room, head bang, go crazy, drive fast & sing along in the car, whatever. Its just amazing, especially how well they combined punk & ska on this album. Their 2 newer albums, Boarders & Boundaries and Anthem, are not really punk/ska albums, theyre just punk songs that contain horn parts. They're still good, but Hello Rockview is the cream of the crop. Buy this CD, put it in, and after one listen, you'll be hooked. Whenever you're feeling upset, it'll cheer you up. Its just THAT good.

Almost as good as Losing Streak
The first time I listened to this album, I've got to admit, I was a little worried. I kind of jumped on the bandwagon with LTJ. The first song I heard by them was All My Best Friends Are Metalheads, off THPS4. I absolutely loved it! It still stands as my favorite song ever. Then I heard She's Gonna Break Soon and The Science Of Selling Yourself Short. I got Anthem, then listened to Losing Streak on Napster. That became my favorite album of all time, but I had only heard two songs from Hello Rockview. True, I had heard the same amount from Anthem, and enjoyed that, but was there really a chance I would like it just as much? Uh, yeah.

Being a hardcore listener of Losing Streak, and now this, I must admit Roger's bass playing is phenomenal. He always has interesting bass lines, where it isn't three chords the entire way through. Some of his playing can be evidenced on Five State Drive, or even at the end of Motto. Since all songs are great, here's a breakdown of the songs.

1) Last One Out Of Liberty City - 3.5/5
2) Help Save The Youth Of America From Exploding - 4.5/5
3) All My Best Friends Are Metalheads - 5/5
4) Five State Drive - 3.5/5
5) Nervous In The Alley - 4/5
6) Motto - 3.5/5
7) History Of A Boring Town - 4/5
8) Great American Sharpshooter - 4/5
9) Danny Says - 3/5
10) Big Crash - 3.5/5
11) Theme Song For H Street - 3.5/5
12) Richard Allen George...No, It's Just Cheez - 2.5/5
13) Scott Farcas Takes It On The Chin - 4.5/5
14) Al's War - 4/5

I know this doesn't really look that good to you - kind of average - but I'm trying not to do this: EVERY song is perfect! 5/5 for all of them! Except for History Of A Boring Town! I give that 6/5, because it's beyond perfect! Uhh, no it isn't. Either is All My Best Friends Are Metalheads, and that's my favorite song ever. But really, buy this CD. You won't be disappointed.

the best ska album!
I'm not into ska really, but Hello Rockview is probalbly the best of the genre awesome!!!

Not Too Shabby...
This happens to be my first Less Than Jake CD and believe me, Im not disappointed. Its catchy, fun to listen to and its got a nice ska/punk sound going on. Im definently gonna pick up the other LTJ CDs. The majority of the songs, like Last One Out of Liberty City, Motto and Scott Farcas Takes it On The Chin are good but some of them are annoying like Great American Sharpshooter and Richard Allen George...No, It's Just Cheez. And afterawhile, it gets kinda dull and you really dont want to listen to it that much anymore. But nonetheless, its a good album and I really enjoyed it even though theres nothing that terribly special on it. Id recommend it to anyone into the ska/punk scene or someone whos just looking for a fun, catchy album to listen to. ... Read more

Reviews (89)

You wouldn't believe it... I didn't at first
OK, I at first got this CD just because I heard the 'rock opera' at the end. My sister had the CD, and at the time I was a devout Supertones fan and didn't believe that any other ska band could be nearly as good, but when I heard the first couple songs I was hooked forever. "My Evil Plan to Save the World" is a lot of fun to sing along to, and so is, well, they're ALL fun to sing along to! Kudos to Reese for the first verse of "One Girl Army." It's so great to find a guy who believes that. "The Untimely Death of Brad" is wickedly funny, and if you ever want a laugh, put on "When I Go Out" and attempt to sing along. And don't forget the last 9 songs! They are complete hilarity! I and my friend were literally rolling on the floor! It's a must-hear! Check it out for yourself!

You WILL love it, and that's a promise
OK, I at first got this CD just because I heard the 'rock opera' at the end. My sister had the CD, and at the time I was a devout Supertones fan and didn't believe that any other ska band could be nearly as good, but when I heard the first couple songs I was hooked forever. "My Evil Plan to Save the World" is a lot of fun to sing along to, and so is, well, they're ALL fun to sing along to! Kudos to Reese for the first verse of "One Girl Army." It's so great (and rare in my experience) to find a guy who believes that. "The Untimely Death of Brad" is wickedly funny, and if you ever want a laugh, put on "When I Go Out" and attempt to sing along. And don't forget the last 9 songs! They are complete hilarity! Me and my friend were literally rolling on the floor! It's a must-hear! Check it out for yourself!

If you like rock at all, buy this... now... hurry!
I was really glad i bought this CD when i got it. It combines FIF's solemness in songs like Dandelions "dandelions, you see flowers in these weeds" with their cleverness in My Evil Plan to Save the World (very fun song) and then that wacky junk that somtimes u just cant get enough of: the last nine songs are all about pants - u will crack up so hard listening to them. The only thing wrong with this awesome album is that it didn't seem to have enough real written songs (there are only about 7) otherwise I would have given it 5 stars. Quantity is completely worth buying. So far i would say this is my favorite FIF album.

awesome
I really enjoy this cd. Five Iron Frenzy is just the greatest band ever. Every song on this has powerful meanings. They are breaking up soon so go see them as much as you can before they break up!

It's decent...Oh by the way 3 stars is a GOOD rating...
Well I bought this after Electric Bugaloo and let me tell you, that it was amazing. But this one was kind of a let down, but then again it was one of their first CDs. So if you're just discovering them, then get their newest one, but if you're a die hard fan of FIF or of ska in general, then get this now! ... Read more

Reviews (27)

The most talented band ever...
I got this CD because my friend loves them, so I decided to check them out. I didn't really know what to expect, but after the first listen, I automatically loved them. This CD is absolutely perfect, I have nothing bad to say about it at all. The horns are frickin GREAT, this band has one of the best horn sections I've ever heard. '51 Gardner' is probably one of the greatest songs ever made. Just get this if you like any kind of music, believe me, even my brother likes it and he usually hates ska! while you're at it, check out Drexel too, get 'whenever, wherever' or whatever it's called, by them. JUST GET THIS!

"Good Luck" on getting this out of yo head!
Wow! A very good cd. About the best new ska/punk/hardcore band around. They play smooth ska with superfast punk and jumpin' hardcore with fast cool vocals. They also have a great talented horn section. You won't hear a single mistake on this album. Plus ever song on this album rules nothing sucks. Buy it very cool. These are some bands I like so if you like them you might like Big D: Goldfinger, saves the day, Rx bandits, mu330, showoff, get up kids, promise ring, hippos,catch 22. But I also like emo, punk and ska so who knows.

big d rules
big d is awesome, buy this cd if you like ska. some of their earlier stuff is good, like the fork in hand split with drexel or their ep "energy". go to a show, they kick ass, its definitly worth it.

you gotta check this band out!
This is an awsome band. Obviously if you have stumbled upon this CD you know ska, because not manny people know them. The lyrics are fast and addicting, and the music is great! These guys definitly got the tallent, and I advise you NOT to pay attencion to the loser who gave them only 1 star.I recomend this to anyone! for other ska, you can check out the mighty mighty bosstones, catch 22, or the aquabats.

Big D Is Amazingly Good!!
this amazing ska band from Boston will rock your socks off...you will be the luckiest person in the world if you can see them live cuz they are just amazing..this cd is just amazing...buy it...and then go to their show...and by shot by lammi...and the gypsy hill ep...cuz theyre so good! o tays...im done... ... Read more

Reviews (16)

The Originators...The Best
The Skatalites not only invented the music we call ska, but without them I dare say Jamaican music would have never escalated to the level that it has become. Without the Skatalites there would be no reggae section in the record store. Without the Skatalites the world may have never herd of a man named Bob Marley. The Skatalites were the house band for Studio One in the sixties (the greatest legacy in the history of Jamaican music...one of the greatest in the history of modern music). Without Mr. Dodd, Mr. Alphonso, Mr. Drummond, Mr. McCook and the rest, modern music as we know it would be completely different.
Listen to this cd and what you will here is the foundation. Exceptionally talented musicians creating some of the most exciting and innovative sounds that the world has ever known. If you are a Jazz lover and have never herd the Skatalites before, get ready to experience Jazz Jamaican style.
This is the true definition of Ska Music. I am appauled by what many people try to pass of as Ska...not naming any names. This is what REAL Ska sounds like.
This music is GUARANTEED to lift your spirits and make you shake your booty. If it doesn't then you might want to check your pulse.

Amongst the first, and most likely the best of Ska
The Skatalites were the premiere ska band in Jamaica in the '60's, period. To compare them to any band that followed, especially latter day English and American bands, is complete folly and a very unfunny joke. Griping about the sound quality is not exactly just, either. 1960's recording technology was no where near today's quality, and this is getting to be annoying having to tell people; you see similar complaints with the Charlie Parker CD in the Ken Burn's Jazz series, and that was '40's and '50's technology, for God's sake. Whitney Houston's CD's will SOUND much better than Bessie Smith's, but if you can't get past that and see/hear the quality of the latter, which is light years beyond the former, there's a problem. Same goes for claiming Kenny G sounds & is better than Coltrane or Sidney Bechet on soprano sax.
Anyways, the Skatalites were considered the best amongst their contemporaries, in addition to most knowledgeable latter day critics. Don Drummond on trombone is considered by both to be about the best musician produced by Jamaica, one who could've probably held his own in a Jazz band in the U.S. He met with a very tragic end in the late '60s- because of that I'm wary of post-Drummond Skatalites recordings. This is the best place to start. Period.

Original music is the basis and the best
It is a general truism about great music that, when it is taken up and popularised, it loses it's original spirit and sophistication. It is dummed down for the rich white masses - consciously by recording companies and/or inevitably by untalented performers.

If you like ska, you'll love this. The Skatalites were in there at the beginning. They were originally going to call themselves the Satellites (not sure of what the exact spelling would have been!) but changed their name to incorporate the new style then in vogue. To me the less-than-perfect recording just adds to the atmosphere.

(But where does great music originate from then? From the fusion of different styles, new instruments, and talented musicians. This happens less and less nowadays in our globalised world.)

Drummond's Trombone
Keith raises an interesting point about whether Don Drummond would have been good enough to get into a top-line Jazz Band of the time. I don't think there can be any doubt, though he may well have felt more at home musically in Europe rather than the heavily bebop American scene. His blowing on Eastern Standard Time, in particular, is just sublime.

How on earth can you compare the lads from the Alpha Boys School with a college thrash band?

Ska music in the true sense of the word
Im going to make this brief the skatalites rock plain and simple and are at times similar to Joe strummers works, what more can you say? ... Read more

Album Description

Twenty-six songs, nine of which are previously unreleased tracks from Rancid, Joe Strummer And The Mescaleros, Dropkick Murphys, The Nekromantix, Die Hunns, F-Minus, The Unseen, The Slackers, and a Transplants remix. Other bands on this comp include The Aggrolites, Tiger Army, US Roughnecks, Lars Frederiksen And The Bastards, and Brain Failure, to name a few. Street punk, ska, psychobilly, hardcore, and more. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Origional Ska Band
The song "Latin Goes Ska" is worth the price of any cd alone. This record is the best compilation of true ska recordings in history. I might also suggest that it goes great with Operation Ivy. ... Read more