Well, well. The Offspring. A very recognizable group; releasing this album was in my opinion the greatest thing they've ever done. 'Ixnay on the Hombre' is, simply put, a Pop-Punk classic. It has all the ingredients you look for in a good CD: Memorable songs that you'll be playing more than once, little to no filler, and listenable content. Thats all you need. This release travels pretty much in the same direction as the band's previous work...Catchy vocals and buzzsaw guitar has shaped the Offspring's whole original sound. These qualities are very noticable on 'Ixnay', and though they don't rule over the album, you can't miss it, not that you'd want to.
So, its '97, and seems the band has found themselves in the usual situation you see nowadays: "How can we succesfully follow up a top-seller?" What could they do? Well, actually trying usually works. Good thing Offspring realized that. Thats one of the many great qualities of this album: The songs sound like they
took time to write, record, and produce. Meanwhile, this is the Offspring, so sure, the occasional minute-and-a-half vocal bursts can be found, but they're amazingly catchy. The majority of 'Ixnay' is longer and more experimental songs (for this band, at least) that are very fun and interesting to listen to. No matter how many times I listen to 'Ixnay on the Hombre', after a song ends I can hardly wait for the next track.
Theres another good aspect of this album for you: Its not boring.
The different, 'experimental' parts of the album are brilliant. Songs like 'Meaning of Life', 'Gone Away', and 'Amazed' can be included in this category. These tracks bring out the real moodier, epic side of the band; fans do need nostalgia, though. The more noticable and commercialized sound remains the same. Those are the ones that support the newer sound, but at the same time are nothing close to filler and very enjoyable. I like that the band can do something like this...Make two almost opposite genres click on the same album (seems to me like a mix of Ska/Punk and traditional Rock). One flaw though chips away at this sometimes: the album can start to sound strange to the casual listener. Fans will be perfectly fine, and the less-obsessed will most likely get hooked to the catchier parts of 'Ixnay', but the sudden changes of pace may be a drawback to you if your not used to something like that.
Much of the music the Offspring have produced has been candy for the ears; sweetness is an important factor, and songs that will pull you in and motivate you to get off your couch and check out the local shop for that copy of one of their albums. This catchy inspiration is hardly vague among the tracks on 'Ixnay'. I know several music fans who want to check out a band, but aren't sure which album they should purchase. Well, if you've been looking at the Offspring's discography for a while and can't decide, this is it. This is one to buy: 'Ixnay on the Hombre' is pure Pop-Punk/Ska nirvana that shouldn't ever be overlooked.
Credits:
Vocals: Dexter Holland
Guitar: Noodles
Bass: Greg K.
Drums: Ron Welty
