Less Than Jake Album: “Anthem [Limited]”

Description :

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. Less Than Jake: Chris (vocals, guitar); Roger (vocals, bass); JR (saxophone); Buddy (trombone); Vinnie (drums). Additional personnel: Jamie Muhoberac (keyboards); Luis Conte (percussion); Heather Tabor (background vocals). Recorded at Piety Street Recording, New Orleans, Louisiana and Morning View Studio, Malibu, California between October and December 2002. This limited-edition of ANTHEM features a bonus DVD and T-shirt. Less Than Jake: Chris (vocals, guitar); Roger (vocals, bass); JR (saxophone); Buddy (trombone); Vinnie (drums). Additional personnel: Jamie Muhoberac (keyboards); Luis Conte (percussion); Heather Tabor (background vocals). Still soldiering on in 2003 after spending the prior decade being overlooked by the commercial masses during the pop-punk revolution, Less Than Jake hits the ground running with ANTHEM and its collection of songs touching on the insecurity and social woes afflicting the band's core teen audience. When this Florida quintet isn't bashing out songs about a girl on the verge of a nervous breakdown ("She's Gonna Break Soon") or lacking faith in yourself ("The Science of Selling Yourself Short") they're keeping the mood suitably bleak by singing about lacking direction in life ("The Upwards War and the Down Turned Cycle"). Amid all this doom-and-gloom, horn players Buddy and JR give the proceedings a peppy edge with a one-two punch that accentuates Less Than Jake's ska influences, particularly on the caffeinated "Plastic Cup Politics" and Mighty Mighty Bosstones-flavored "Look What Happened." Even though Less Than Jake take an unusually serious approach towards ANTHEM, this former Bon Jovi opening act manages to inject some levity by including a bonus cover of "Surrender" and doing Cheap Trick proud. Still soldiering on in 2003 after spending the prior decade being overlooked by the commercial masses during the pop-punk revolution, Less Than Jake hits the ground running with ANTHEM and its collection of songs touching on the insecurity and social woes afflicting the band's core teen audience. When this Florida quintet isn't bashing out songs about a girl on the verge of a nervous breakdown ("She's Gonna Break Soon") or lacking faith in yourself ("The Science of Selling Yourself Short") they're keeping the mood suitably bleak by singing about lacking direction in life ("The Upwards War and the Down Turned Cycle"). Amid all this doom-and-gloom, horn players Buddy and JR give the proceedings a peppy edge with a one-two punch that accentuates Less Than Jake's ska influences, particularly on the caffeinated "Plastic Cup Politics" and Mighty Mighty Bosstones-flavored "Look What Happened." Even though Less Than Jake take an unusually serious approach towards ANTHEM, this former Bon Jovi opening act manages to inject some levity by including a bonus cover of "Surrender" and doing Cheap Trick proud.

I've been a fan of Less Than Jake for almost two years, and they have steadily become my favorite band. I first got Hello Rockview, then Losing Streak, then Borders and Boundaries, then Pezcore, and just recently I picked up Anthem. I have never in my life bought an album without first hearing at least one song from it, but there is no other band that I trust more completely with my money than LTJ. I put it in the CD player and let it run all the way through. The first thing that struck me as different from their other albums is that the songs really do each sound like "anthems". They don't seem to sing the lyrics as much as they "proclaim" them...if that makes sense. The songs are (mostly) all heavy with guitars, fast, and energetic. There are a few exceptions, such as The Science of Selling Yourself Short and The Brightest Bulb. The most obvious difference with this album and the others is the lack of horns and ska. A few songs, like Motown and Plastic Cup Politics, have some decent ska riffs inbetween choruses. If you only liked LTJ for the ska part of their "ska punk" sound, you will be disappointed. They have definitely strayed from their old sound in this way. BUT, if you just thrive off their infectious energy and spirit, you'll be satisfied with the album as a whole, especially with songs like Welcome to the New South and Plastic Cup Politics, which are clearly classic LTJ material. I would consider New South one of their best works to date. The "single", She's Gonna Break Soon, is mediocre in LTJ standards. It's very similiar to the pop punk songs on radio and I'm sad that they are even considering trying to fit in by lowering their standards to that level. This is not to say that it's a bad song, because I still enjoy it, but it's not my beloved Less Than Jake at all. They can do better. All in all, it's a good effort, and it has it's moments. The funky LTJ spirit still shines through all the heavy guitar and polished pop punk: There's a reason I haven't taken it off repeat in my CD player yet.

Anyone hear who rated this album poorly because of how much the music has changed is an idiot and doesn't deserve to listen to any of Less Than Jake's work. People are overlooking the fact that this is an amazing album because it doesn't have as much ska on it. Those people are the real morons. Every song on this CD is great-- some more than others. Such as Science of Selling Yourself Short. That song is probably one of the top three most amazing ska songs I've ever heard. Sure, this album has a little less ska, and a little more pop-punk, but that doesn't lessen the fact that they poured their hearts into this album, and put out a damn fine album. Definitely pick this one up. Trust me, you'll grow to love it unless you're a close-minded ass who refuses to even accept a great CD if it sounds different from the rest of a band's work.

For those of you who are into the ska side of less than jake, you might want to avoid this album all together, but if you like the way borders and boundaries was heading, pick up this disc. It showcases better written music than the past, with more complicated guitar, deeper lyrics, and much better production work. The band wants to show what talent they really have. Don't get me wrong, pezcore and losing streak are always in rotation in my cd changer, but I'm not as big of ska fan as I once was. For those who dig the punk with horns style that less than jake has emerged as recently, go buy this disc. If you want the fast ska.....try another band.

Bottom line: I really like this record. I noticed like many others have that the horns have really been toned down on this album. I didn't even recognize how much they had been toned down until I popped 'Losing Streak' and 'Borders and Boundries' into my cd player. On those albums much more of the melody was in the horns as opposed to the guitar/voice based melodies on this album. I will always be a LTJ fan, but if I want ot listen to straight-up pop-punk there are 100 bands I could listen to. I personally am a fan of their more ska based days, but anything by Less than Jake is good in my books.