Consequence of Sound - Latest Comments in Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Jay Ziegler — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:15:57 -0000

@ wtf:

First off, our writers are not assholes, and any judgment passed onto anything we review is 100% unbiased.

Secondly, the fact you would rate it 90% is based on your personal opinion. That does not stand against the general consensus of what is deemed a "public opinion." Read this site's comments alone and you'll see that many of the comments not only support Mike's review, but praise him for saying things that most people tend to miss. You may want to read more after this.

Thirdly, an unbiased review rating is not necessarily 70%-80%. Go read both my Protest The Hero and Black Mountain album reviews. I never heard anything from these bands until early this year. Protest The Hero made a great album; Black Mountain made an average album. How's that for bias?

Lastly, you say that 50% of this review is based on insanity and/or lack of judgment. You sir fail to see the reasonings behind Roffman's review and frankly, I agree with Mike. The Offspring have consistently been on the wrong end of the gene pool the past few years. How can a band come out with an explosion album such as "Smash" ranging with topics from school violence, self-esteem, bad anger habits and the works, to a gutteral, declining state of maturity with songs such as "Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)" or "Original Prankster"? Excuse me, but after reading this review and honestly admitting not to listening to a single note of this album, I can rest assured that given Mike's words, thoughts and feelings, this album fails to revive them from the past. Get a true view of the world and quit being so blinded. Seriously!

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Michael Roffman — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:06:13 -0000

Grow up.

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

wtf — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:54:36 -0000

this asshole rated the album 50%
personally I would rate it 90% but
an unbiased fair rating is 70-80%
50% is just insanely biased and lack of judgement

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

David — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:54:23 -0000

I've got to disagree with you Michael about the Offspring/Greenday comparison section. I'd say both became more mainstream after their punk years 1994-97, Greenday were always seen by many fellow punk bands around them as "poster boys" of punk rock. because they became very commercial and some might say -emo. they did mature to a degree in american idiot, but they were VERY poppy and very MAINSTREAM at that time. Now you're probably think why I am going on about Greenday, when The Offspring produced very poppy/mainstream singles themselves. Well it's because they were just that - singles. They didn't excessively put themselves out there in the world of pop like Greenday did; some may disagree, though they weren't on the cover of every teen magazine. Sure they produced poppy summer singles, but their punk edge was still there to the rest of the tracks on those albums. The Offspring have always been a more underground band, even when they're in the mainstream. Maturity is something that Offspring have kept off until now, Greenday attempted to succeed with some maturity. They did, but it was swathed in pop. Hopefully this wont be.....

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Mario — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 05:28:14 -0000

Review was well done, Michael. I disagree that Half-Truism sounds emo. I find it has a lot more of that "edge" that you accredited to You're Gonna Go Far, Kid.
Dexter has said the album is part experimental, part standard Offspring, and it is just that. The ballads don't work for me either, but it is different and that's what they were going for. I still can't figure out what the hell is up with Fix You...awful. Holland' vocal style doesn't suit that kind of song at all! Overall I enjoy the sound of the album though :) (with the exception of the last few songs)

Even though I do not agree with a lot of it , I must give you credit for writing a good review. It demonstrates your opinion very well so good job man

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

fixxxer123 — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:23:25 -0000

alright ..
the resemblance of some of the songs to others is only normal .. i dont think dexter just sat there contimplating what would make a good rip off .. and i could point out other resemblences in all the other songs if u want, offspring's songs and non-offsprings songs. it all depends on what you are listening to round the time u write the song ..
now i like this album,it's no smash, but this actually makes it all the better .. coz u know smash was and still is great and one of my favotrite of all time .. but i still wanna hear some new shit ..
i love the first half its absolutely amzing and actually measures up to their old stuff, and "stuff is messed up" is pretty good and doesn't sound like a joke song, though i personally enjoy these joke songs especially the offspring's joke songs ..
now kristy is decent and the whole album would have been five stars if "Rise and Fall, Nothingtown and Fix you" weren't there, coz it would be just perfect and got it all if it had "Let's hear it for rock bottom" as the last song ..
oh and i think the production is pretty good too ..

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Michael Roffman — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:33:25 -0000

Nice! Glad you feel that way, David. However, I actually like it less now. Splinter's actually feeling better now. This album is just a misfire, in my book. The second half is so bland still.

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

David — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:27:07 -0000

now I think about it, it's actually is a very good album, it has its flaws but still it's the best thing they've done since Ixnay or maybe Americana. it takes quite a few times to listen to, but i think it defied my original thoughts on it. it shows all different mood states and so forth, while critiquing society, which is what i except for a good offspring record.

sorry I've changed my mind, I recommend you to listen to it again Michael, I can't stop listening to it now. I know how you feel, it's how I thought of the album until I re-listened to it a few times.

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Michael Roffman — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 01:17:24 -0000

Yeah, I think the consensus is starting to sway that way, at least now it is.

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

David — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 01:08:19 -0000

agree with the review. the new album reminds me of weezer's new album. amazing first single, a couple good songs, and then the rest are nothing short of disappointing. fix you is definitely the worst song on there. his super strained voice is annoying and it rips off chasing cars by snow patrol. honestly, the hype choked, and the album as a whole is a huge let down. if you want to listen to bands that havn't choked after making a bunch of albums, try radiohead, sigur ros, red hot chili peppers, beck, or the white stripes. they never seem to disappoint.

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Trupunx!!! — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:05:44 -0000

This album is not punk enough!! Never Mind The Bollocks sounded better than this barely audible piece of pop, hence the bad sound quality.

I agree with you all the way Michael, the Offspring should not have tried to take a step forward and be anyway creative, it defies everything punk!!!!! Sacrilege I say sacrilege!!!!

Trupunx for ever!!!

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Snake — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 01:50:12 -0000

yeah, my real name is snake, that makes fucking sense

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Michael Roffman — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:33:36 -0000

Well, coming from a guy named "Snake", I better listen.
Are you Kurt Russell or do you know him?

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Snake — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:31:03 -0000

Basing an album review on a comparison with Greenday.

Fire this bastard.

p.s. greenday blows

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

medi — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 09:20:57 -0000

The person who wrote this review is a total idiot

the album goes back towards the band's more popular days with sounds closer to that of smash and ixnay

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

David Buchanan — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:36:25 -0000

This album is split down the middle, for me.

On the one hand I'm hearing familiar riffs from Noodles that are always a pleasure to listen to, and the track 'Shit Is Fucked Up' honestly made me laugh my ass off (in a good way) towards the end with a fast-paced ass-reaming of corporate America (think of Americana on hyper-drive).

On the other, the overall tone is both generic and confusing. They try to rock you with the first half, and then it drifts into a bad pop/punk stereotype.

As a whole, it's digestible and not bad compared to Splinter, but I can't deny the obvious - after hearing Hammerhead, and with all of the hype and time it took to get this release, it's a bit of a let-down.

And for the record, I give Holland credit for Kristy, Are You Doin' Okay? for it's meaning and good intent...but we all know what good intentions do.

Kudos on the attempt, but I think it could have been better.

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

You — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:00:44 -0000

One point, in Nothingtown if The Offspring are ripping off anyone it's themselves ie. "Want you Bad," maybe you should quit looking for the Green Day comparisons because The Offspring had the sheer gall to make a name for themselves at the same time

I know it's pointless to argue about this on the internet of all places, but i can't help but feel in a lot of reviewers hearts this album was doomed to get a positive review merely because of Splinter and the complete lack of hype around it

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

joe — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:01:11 -0000

is there any chance of you reviewing the previous albums?

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Ryan — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:12:21 -0000

I totally agree with you Michael about the end of the album. I usually skip the last couple songs because the title track reminds me too much of "American Idiot" and the intro to "Let's Hear it For Rock Bottom" is almost a direct rip on Good Charlotte - "The Festival Song". I was reading some other reviews about it and they're all about the same as yours so I can't really knock you for having the same opinion as pretty much every other reviewer. But I will point out that while you praised Green Day for "American Idiot", "Rage and Grace" is a far more subtle rip off of "American Idiot" than "Bran Stew" was of Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4". I think at some point in a bands career, at least one of their songs ends up sounding like another bands song just because of what's popular at the moment. But I guess the real test of how good this album is will come on June 17th when it hits stores.

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Craig — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 07:50:37 -0000

I can see where people may think certain songs resemble certain bands but to be honest its still the offspring and these songs are great ( although i honestly dont like 'kirsty' ) especialy the first 5 or 6 pack a real punch. In my opinion i think this album is one of there bests and i realy enjoyed it. I think the review is a bit harsh but thats just the reviewers opinion it does annoy me when large groups of people gte annoyed when on eperson doesnt like the album i mean aslong as you like who cares. 8.5/10 for the album 10/10 for the first 5 because there realy good especially 'half truism' :D

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Michael Roffman — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 01:47:13 -0000

Touche, Erock. Touche.

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Nah! — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:54:26 -0000

have you guys ever read The Emperor's New Clothes? that tale where the emperor is naked and everybody see him fully clothed only cuz they all are in denial? well i think this is the case, people love guns n' roses they drop bad albumes, people loves metallica, they droped bad albums, examples of great bands bad records is endless so way you just can admit that offspring drop a bad record? how the hell can you guys say that this one is way better than splinter? only da hui has more energy than 5 songs of the new album, and that's what offspring really are a fuckind band that make god fast full energy songs. so we gotta just pretend that everything is normal? no way, that record doesn't sound like offspring, doesn't feel like offsprig, doesn't smell like offspring, but Unfortunely it's offspring and that is just the big disappointment. i know that's the Common felling... so let's wait another 5 years and see what happens.

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

LARS — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:19:19 -0000

You're gonna go far kid does not sound like Fall Out Girl or Panic!. If anything, they stole their style from the poppy side of the offspring!!!

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Erock Lazron — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:27:41 -0000

Really, they should just put out the best of this album and splinter as an album, that one would be wicked

Re: Album Review: The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Michael Roffman — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:12:17 -0000

Erock, I'll agree. However, to be honest, I actually enjoyed the hell out of Conspiracy of One when I was in high school, mainly songs like "Special Delivery" or "Come Out Swinging", though I still to this day hate "Original Prankster", just like I hated "Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)". They just really discredited the band, in my opinion.

"You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" still sounds like Fall Out Boy and Panic! to me, but like I said in the review, it is saved by that Offspring edge, and it's been stuck in my head all day, too. "Gone Away" like heights? Hell no. That's my favorite song from this band to this day and one of the reasons why I still even care about this band. The ending when Holland breaks down and screams still gets me, even after a decade.

Anyway, what kills this album still is that second half. It's like they stopped caring. And I also wish I had never watched that God forsaken music video for "Hammerhead" because now I can't stop thinking about that video's PS1-styled graphics and the missed-the-mark imagery. But, that's just my fault. Hah.

Like Splinter (which actually has some solid songs and better production style than this, in my book), I'll salvage some songs from this release, but for the most part, this is still such a disappointment to me.