Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

The Offspring: a band that helped punk rock

2000’s is the era of small bands and small albums. Even though any garage band of today has more chances to succeed than ever before. You can record an album in your bedroom and make it available to the whole world without making too much effort. This is simply heaven on earth in comparison with those conditions in which bands used to work and live only ten years ago. But it seems like some things will never change. Only a few are destined to become really popular. In 1994, after prolonged negotiations with small labels American band The Offspring released its third album Smash, which became an epoch-making album indeed. The most remarkable fact about Smash is that it is still the highest selling record of all time released on an independent label. Six millions copies were sold in US alone. So The Offspring may be considered not only a band that helped punk-rock to grow up to the mainstream level but also as the pioneers in the process of establishment of independent labels.

The Offspring don’t want to change anything

The era of The Offspring rests in 90’s. On a big scale, for the last 14 years the band’s stylistic didn’t change at all. Those things that used to sound fresh and inspiring turned into standard with the course of time. It may be true that they tried to make inclinations towards mainstream sound but still it all took place only in the borders of their own style. There is no wonder that the band has finally reached a deadlock in constant cycling of the same ideas, this is probably why their recent album turned out to be a little bit pale. But nevertheless, it seems like the musicians see no problem with it. "We're making music now really only because we want to and it's the music that we want to play and hear. We're not doing this for the money anymore, we're doing this because we're friends and we love it. The challenges come from inside the band now." This comment of The Offspring’s singer Dexter Holland about their new album Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace speaks for itself. The Offspring is an outstanding and all-sufficient band with a style and sound of its own and there is simple no sense to change it.

Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace sounds a little bit more aggressive

Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace is a pretty predictable album. There is almost nothing you never heard before. The only exception is a track called Fix You, which is a new form for The Offspring as it is a ballad. The basic mass of the material consists of fast, striking and tuneful punk hits. The album has no openly bad compositions. Everything sounds cohesive, harmonious and as it was mentioned above predictable. However it is worth mentioning that Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace sounds a little bit more aggressive than a couple of their recent albums. This record is much closer to Smash or Ixnay On The Hombre than to say Americana. And such songs as Half-Truism, Trust In You and Hammerhead is the best evidence for that. These are The Offspring’s classics. However, the musicians found a room for some modern influences too. Thus, for instance, You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid sounds in the vein of fallout Boy and A Lot Like Me resembles pop punk a-la Good Charlotte. The both songs, however, fit in well with the album and don’t break out from the context. Overall, Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace produces a fully positive impression, everything looks as though you have met a good old friend, whom you haven’t seen for ages. You can feel that he is a little bit different now, but generally he is just the same as before. This is a solid and pretty diverse album, which definitely has its own character.