5 comments about In with the Out Crowd.

1. This album is the perfect one to turn ska-hating fans into Less Than Jake fans. It has a more "pop-like" sound than their other albums, which makes is unique.
   
   I've listened to Less Than Jake for almost 10 years now... and three of my all-time favorite LTJ songs are off this album.



2. So I totally understand why the fans of the old Less Than Jake don't take kindly to this CD. It's true that with 2006's "In With the Outcrowd" this band has abandoned a lot of what made them really fun to listen to, in other words fast paced ska guitar and horns-a-plenty. For a band in which almost half the members are exclusively horn players, it's kind of strange that they would put out a CD where only half the songs have any horns at all, because you gotta think, hey, what do Buddy and JR do when the band plays a song with no horns, just stand there?
   
   So I'm sure the no horn thing has been beaten to death by the 65 reviews already written at this point, so I won't wallow in it. The new sound is not so bad after all, they're still really catchy and they have MOST of the energy that can be seen on former records and at their live shows. The ballad-ish soft songs are good for a listen one or two times and then become forgetable, but everything else could be put on a shuffle list with all the other Less Than Jake songs and I don't think a fan would be bothered too much when they came up. The bottom line is, it's the kind of upbeat pop-punk that we see on the mainstream today, only better 'cause it's more anthem style than pop.
   
   That does not say the CD isn't lacking compared to other albums by this band, 'cause it is. Most of the other CDs, had I reviewed them, would be 4 or maybe even 5 star albums, and this is a 3. That's because for one thing, horns = gone. Secondly, the guitar is pretty bland throughout the CD, usually a three or four chords progression with typical pop-rock distortion. The bass is majorly underutilized, like most pop-rock bands except this is Less Than Jake and they've written songs like "Johnny Quest Thinks We're Sellout" and "Last One Out of Liberty City," where Roger got his moments to shine. Why can't he shine on this album as well? And no, the no-guitar verse in "Overrated" does not count as a bass driven song.
   
   So basically, it's listenable, but not ideal. You'll listen to this CD if you buy it but probably only once for every 3 times you listen to "Hello Rockview" and every 5 times you listen to "Losing Streak," so at times it may collect a little dust in your CD collection, but alas, one of those days you'll be like "Oh yeah, this CD" and play it once more. New fans, start with the two aforementioned CDs or "Anthem," which is also a really good CD by this band, and then, and only then, buy this one. That's not to say we shouldn't buy it eventually, maybe try to find a used copy for a discount though.



3. After "B is for B Sides" and "Anthem," which I thought were Less Than Jake's best albums yet, my expectations for "In with the Out Crowd" were admittedly high. And I was disappointed.
   
   I've nothing against a band's style evolving; rather, I prefer exploration. When bands play what they want to instead of what they feel like they have to, it shows. Unfortunately, with this album, I don't think that's what happened.
   
   A lot of the ska is gone, with horns playing a back role (or completely absent) and only coming to the fore in a couple songs. Overall, the sound is darker and more melancholic. Unfortunately, it's also lost the humor and sheer frenetic energy that I've come to love in Less Than Jake. The emotionlessness of this album is a larger tribute to crushing apathy than all the lyrics of all the songs before it. Most of the songs are just paint-by-number knock-offs with less-than-enthused vocals and derivative melodies.
   
   To be fair, the album still has some decent songs on it, which saves it from 2-stardom. I must admit to liking "Rest of My Life," perhaps the most melancholy song on the whole album--because it stirs emotions! "Don't Fall Asleep on the Subway" is okay, sort of. And "P.S. Shock the World," while not their best song, is still lively and has some spirit to it.
   
   The problem isn't that their sound changed; it's that they just don't seem to be trying, or are trying too hard. Whatever Less Than Jake sounds like on their next album, I hope there's some spirit and enthusiasm in the music.
   
   "In with the Out Crowd" isn't terrible; it just isn't much of anything at all.



4. Alright, so LTJ hooked me and became my favorite band somewhere between Losing Streak and Hello Rockview, and the times I've seen them live have been amazing.
   
   This new album has a definite new sound. I'm not saying that new sound is necessarily a bad thing. When Anthem first came along, I didn't give it much of a chance, but now I absolutely love it. Plastic Cup Politics is one of my favorite on the album, if not one of my favorite LTJ songs period.
   
   The problem is, I don't think something like this is going to happen with In with the out crowd. I don't hate it, but it didn't live up to what I was hoping for. My excitement for a new LTJ album is always ridiculous, and this time it just didn't deliver the way LTJ has over the years. I'm not saying not to pick this one up, I'm just saying not to expect another Hello Rockview.
   
   Right now I'm just replaying Borders and Boundaries and the other good ones in hopes that LTJ will come out with another album sometime soon. I have a feeling that when they do, they'll go back, at least a little bit, to their old sound. I'm basing this guess on how they refer to their new album at their live shows, always threatening to play something from IWTOC. They know the longtime fans aren't really into it as much, so maybe they'll do something about it.



5. The only thing more tiring than seeing people get down on a band's new album for changing their sound, is when people defend a legitimately mediocre album by putting down such people. Just like it is not fair to say a band is no longer good for changing their sound, it is not fair to simply say that a change in a band's sound is a "maturing" of their sound. In With The Out Crowd sounds much different than anything LTJ has put out, unfortuantely, however, it is not the case that this new sound is a matured one.
   
   I am one of those people who does not want every release a band puts out to sound exactly the same, and although sometimes it can be hard to get used to, I usually like when a band changes their sound, as long as they've matured that sound.
   
   I've tried to give this album a bunch of chances to impress me, but a year and a half removed from its release it just doesn't. With the exception of a few tracks, there just doesn't seem to be anything special about this album. The songs come and go, leaving no lasting impression. Don't get me wrong, the abscence of horns on a lot of tracks is something I could definitely get past if there were other redeeming qualities present--however there aren't. I read an interview where Vinnie (the drummer, and main lyric writer for LTJ) stated that they would rather add really good horn parts to a few of their songs, as opposed to adding mediocre horn parts to all of their songs. This makes no sense to me--why can't all of their songs that have horns in them, regardless of the number of songs that may be, have really great horn parts? Not to mention, all the songs on IWTOC with horns do not necessarily have "great" horn parts.
   
   I'm not asking for a bunch of sequels to Johnny Quest, but the majority of the songs on this album are just plain bland. Unlike many LTJ fans, I loved Anthem, which was a different sound than what we were used to in a LTJ album. Although that cd wasn't chock-full of ska numbers, it had a lot of energy and heart. IWTOC just falls flat in delivering that energy. That being said, the album isn't awful--it's just extremely mediocre, especially considering it's coming from LTJ.
   
   The stand-out tracks on this album are A Still Life Franchise and P.S. Shock the World. Hopefully I'm not being too optimistic in thinking that LTJ will redeem themselves with future releases. They still rock a crazy live show that anyone would be lucky to see, and I don't think they've lost their edge, just stumbled a bit on this release. I definitely feel like this album falls short of any of their previous work--and I'm not just saying that because it doesn't have enough horn parts or because it sounds different.
   
   (Note: If I could have given a 2 1/2 star rating, I would have.)

5 comments about The Cat Empire.

1. This is a great album. However, all of these songs are on the "Two Shoes" album plus a few others. Just buy "Two Shoes"



2. This is one of the best albums i own. With influencenes from regay, to ska, jazz and soul, they creat an amazing "party all night" atmosphere.
   The Cat Empire are amazing and this is one of their best albums.



3. The Cat Empire is an extremely talented band out of Melbourne Australia, that can really only be experienced at their full potential live. Stocked with a horn section, DJ, drums, bass, guitar, keyboard, and lead trumpet they come together perfectly to drop funky, soulful, all out party rockin music. Possibly most easily classified as ska due to the sheer size of the band they are by no means limited to one genre of music. This EP is only a tiny taste of their three full length albums released in Australia, but are available in the U.S. as imports. Check this EP out if your unsure, but if you dig their sound go right on and buy the full length albums you will not be disappointed.



4. These guys rock!! I can't put it any more eloquantly then the previous reviews, suffice to say I reckon listening to anything by the Cat Empire is going to brighten your day, funk your party up and also give you space to contemplate the world in a rosier light! I went to see them in San Francisco and I can honestly say it was the best live gig I have ever seen! By the end of the evening I wanted to run away with them all! They are a charismatic and talented bunch who have carved out a fabulous sound and a enviable life for themselves!!



5. Didn't like alot of the songs the first time I listened to the album but they grow on you after a while. 5 STAR

5 comments about Hang-Ups.

1. Goldfinger sure has changed over the years. They're no longer ska...infact they're quite the opposite. Their new material leaves a lot to be desired in my opinion and I've since lost interest in the band.
   
   This a great album, bringing us back a decade ago into the world of ska-punk and all its charm. Funny enough, the album was very much a studio assembled piece of work. Although the core 4 members were a band already, there's a ton of cameos on the CD, including Scott and Dan from Reel Big Fish on horns, and Angelo Moore from Fishbone on saxaphone and backup vocals. This obviously to satisfy the at-the-time popularity of ska. Regardless, the result is great and very much missed among Goldfinger's new material.
   
   The CD itself is a great mix of ska, punk, rock, and a fusion of all three. The album's most recognized track 'Superman', made famous by Tony Hawk Pro Skater, kicks the album off just right. Fast, catchy, and with plenty of horns. My personal favorite is 'Carlita'. It's an amazing ska rooted song, with just enough rock thrown in to get you through and wet your appetite. Angelo Moore's backups take it to the next level, and his sax solo's are simply amazing.
   
   This is by far Goldfinger's best work, and it's a shame we won't hear anything like it from them anytime soon.



2. I love this album. There are a lot of good songs on it and there's quite a bit of variety on this. Some songs are fun, some are relaxing, and some are great to listen to when you're mad! Congrats on a great album, Goldfinger.



3. This is a classic 90s ska album. It's just perfect to sing along with. After this, Goldfinger just went downhill. There are a few songs today that are good, but most of them suck. Why did you get rid of the horns John? Whyyyyyyyyyyyy??????



4. This is my favoriot CD. This was before the band got caught up in bad lyrics and peta.



5. 
   This CD gives me some serious nostalgia, because the first track, "Superman", was featured on the first Tony Hawk's Pro Skater for the N64 and PS1. It's a real throwback for me, and for the rest of you people who recognize it. As for the rest of the tracks, this album is quite listenable. I still don't get why the last track is 36 minutes long when only 8 minutes of it is really used for music. Stupid. But anyway, if you're just looking for some good punk, then get it.

No comments about You Just Cant Beat It: Best of Beat.

5 comments about Punk-O-Rama, Vol. 3.

1. It has its high points, but some real stinkers contaminate it.
   
   1. We Threw Gasoline... (A-) Not too appealing at first, but the chorus is incredible and irresistable
   
   2. Everybodies Girl (A++) Pure bliss from start to finish! Unbelievable.
   
   3. Worlds On Heroin (A-) A lazy opening riff? Nah, it picks itself up quickly, impressivley.
   
   4. Say Anything (A+) It only gets one plus because it's too short!
   
   5. Delinquent Song (A-) Some ska is here. Slower than its predecessors, but it's excellent with the right mindset.
   
   6. Everready (A-) Good.
   
   7. Greed Motivates (A) Grabs you and goes really fast!
   
   8. Telepath Boy (A-) Fun for all 50 seconds it lasts.
   
   9. Never Connected (A-) Nice.
   
   10. Gotta Go (Grade not available) I always skip this, so I wouldn't know.
   
   11. Defiled (A-) Rockin'!
   
   12. Haula$$ Hyena (B+) Kinda annoying and familiar.
   
   13. Rats In The Hallway (A-) There were better songs on Rancid's debut (Hyena, Detroit, Rejected.)
   
   14. Steel-Toed Sneakers (A) Great!
   
   15. Bad Seed (D+) They sure got the "bad" part right.
   
   16. Rotten Egg (A) Annoying to some, but I love it.
   
   17. Poison Steak (A) Annoying to some, but I love it.
   
   18. No Equalizer (Grade not available) Once again, I always skip it.
   
   19. Alright (A-) Since this is a demo song, it's kinda trite and sterile, but OK.
   
   20. A.D.D. (B-) Why do I have to force myself to listen to it if I'm not too crazy about it?
   
   21. Lozin' Must (F) Millencolin, Millencolin, Millencolin, you're capable of much more than this puke.
   
   22. You (A++) Quite a contrast from Lozin' Must, indeed.
   
   23. Ordinary Fight (A+) Would've been an excellent ending song, but no...
   
   24. If (C) ...this mediocrity had to be dropped.
   
   25. Wake Up (C-) An unreleased Pennywise song. Unfortunately, listening to it makes it clear why it was left off the superior Full Circle.
   
   I personally think Punk-O-Rama 5 is the CD to get first. On Punk-O-Rama 3, few of the tracks hit that "Aw yeah, this is amazing" vibe or are very memorable. On Punk-O-Rama 5, the tracks by Zeke, Millencolin, All, Bouncing Souls, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Union 13, Osker and Pennywise all surpass those on Punk-O-Rama 3.



2. This introduced me to the world of Epitaph punk. Good thing it was like 8 years ago instead of now because Epitaph sucks now.
   If you're looking for some good (relatively old, god now with crap like My Chemical Romance, this punk seems like millenia ago...) punk, you better pick this up. All the songs are catchy and they'll make you want to go pick up old Bouncing Souls, old Bad Religion and old Millencolin. Good things in life.



3. voodoo glowskulls are great here, and the best song is definatly rats in the hallway by rancid. other stuff is good too.



4. Punk-o-Rama 3 is a brilliant album. It's a single cd compilation. It has some of the best names in punk on this album, like Pennywise and Rancid. It has 27 songs on it, so you are bound to like a few songs on it, but this isnýt a problem actually as 99% of the songs are good, but it does have some really bad ones too. The album is like a taster for all the bands contained on the cd as it is only $4 .99, which I donýt think, is bad at all. This album is a good way to see which bands you will like.
   This also contains one song that you can't buy anywhere else, for example NOFX's "We threw Gasoline on the fire and now we have stumps for arms and no eyebrows" which is a really good song .



5. One of the best cd's ever!!! this is one of my favorite cd's it has songs by all my favorite bands: Pennywise, Bad Religion, and of course, NOFX! If you like punk and want some right now, go out and buy this cd.

5 comments about Warped Tour: 2004 Compilation.

1. CAUTION:
   THESE ARE NOT LIVE RECORDINGS LIKE THE OTHER WARPED DISCS.
   
   Nontheless, a great collection of music with a few mediocre songs.



2. One of the best compilation CD's out there. Great sample of the genre.



3. the fisrt disc is sissy sounding people singing. the only good song is by go betty go. and the other disc is stupid screamo and spazoid stuff. what a waste of money!! :(



4. This 2 disc compilation of all aspects of alternative is a must-have for anyone that likes it. They managed not only to put ther best bands at the time (2004), on these discs, but they also scrounged up the very best songs. If there was one song that each of these bands would've played at the Grammys, (if the Grammys played alternative, which they don't) these would be it. Again it's all aspects of alternative. You have your general punk "Jersey", and then you have your emo "Lightweight Holiday" "Amber Pacific" and you also have your ska "Big D and the Kids Table" and you have your hardcore punk "From First to Last" and your 90's wave punk "The Casualties". If you love alternative theres nothing to not love about this. I bought this the first day it came to store and i still give it a good work-out in my cd player.



5. Well first off when i bought this cd like over a year ago.. i was just a greenday and Blink-182 junkie. had been for like 3 years. Then i bought this cd hoping to find some new bands and slowly started getting into other Punk/Emo/Alternitive/Screamo bands..
   This cd introduced me to..
   *A New Found Glory*
   *Anti-Flag*
   *Atmosphere*
   *Bad Religion*
   *Chronic Future*
   *Coheed & Cambria*
   *Halifax*
   *Hazen Street*
   *Matchbook Romance*
   *Motion City Soundtrack*
   *MxPx*
   *Simple Plan*
   Which in time introduced me to other bands and now music is my life and i have over 3,000 songs in little over a year so ya this cd hits home for me and i sugest it and its 2003 and 2005 counterpart.. well im sure all of them but those are the ones i have to anyone... also this review really bugged me...
   
   ********Um I liked this CD, but really I was expecting more. More Punk Rock, the magority of the 52 songs are hard rock. Like From Autoum to Ashes, they're like hard rock. The only real punk rock is the New Foud Glory, Coheed and Cambria, NOFX, Flogging Molly, Thursday, Taking Back Sunday, and some others. But most of its hard rock. If you classify some of the songs on the cd punk rock, you dont know punk rock you freakin poser. I bought the cd at Best Buy expecting it to be great, and for 5 dollars it seemed great. The punk rock thats on it is good, but some of the music just dosent cut it. Another thing I found lousy about this Cd is that they didnt have all the bands that where even at the Warped Tour, where was Senses Fail and Story of the Year and Hidden in Plain View?, are they not good enough. They should have gotten rid of all the crappy hard rock and put these great bands in their place. I gave the CD 3 stars, I am figuring that its a fair grade for a CD that isnt what it should be, but then is what it is and is good at it. I would recommend buying this CD, but if you truely are a punk rock fan dont expect the punk you deserve on the Warped Tour.*******
   
   He has no idea what hes talking about...
   A) Autumn to ashes isnt hardcore its screamo so he doesnt know what hardcore or screamo is
   B)Coheed, TBS, And THursday are emo not punk
   C)He says he only likes punk but is wishing that senses fail, Hidden in plain view, and Story of the year was on there all emo just contridicded himself again.
   SO in escence he is an idiot who knows nothing of punk...
   Thank you
   travis

1 comments about In Retrospect: The Best of the Toasters.

1. Don't get me wrong I love moon ska music and the toasters are probably my second favorite ska band besides Mustard Plug. You ask why I only give this album four stars is because I'd rather have a classic cd. There are 21 songs on this cd and I can't listen to this cd all the way through because it does get repetitive after about the 16th song even though this is a greatest hits album. If you want a good toasters release go for Skaboom! or New York Fever. If you are a toasters fan you should get this, but if your new to moon ska or even the Toasters then start out with Skaboom! because that is probably there best cd to date.
   
   Best Songs: Talk Is Cheap, 2-Tone Army,and History Book Version

2 comments about The Best of Musical Youth: 20th Century Masters/The Millennium Collection.

1. Great cd! I was too young to buy it when first released. Very good songs for kids that age. A must buy!



2. I love this album, but then: I was a Musical Youth fan since 1982's "Pass The Dutchie" and have remained a fan ever since. I doubt that you could call this 'The Best Of' Musical Youth, as they made some really good tracks that are only on their studio albums and singles (B-sides!), but this definitely IS the collection of all tracks that have been singles (A-sides). This one is practically the same as "Maximum Volune: The Best Of Musical Youth", except is has different liner notes and leaves out the unnecessary 1995 remix of "Dutchie". To conclude: this is a great item for everyone that loves "Pass The Dutchie" or anything else by MY and an addition to the collectors' collection, but wasn't necessary to be released since Universal releases "Maximum Volume" AND One Way released "Anthology".

3 comments about Give 'Em the Boot, Vol. 4.

1. This, in my opinion, is by far the best Give 'Em The Boot.
   
   Less Reggae and Ska, which is OK by me. I like them, but I listen mostly to just hard rocking bands like the Unseen, Rancid, the Nekromantix, etc.
   
   In my opinion, the only bad song is the one by the Transplants. Its the only one I quickly skip.
   
   And it has the HorrorPops. And new punk-ish bands with lead females (or...any females, really) is good. Especially since we lost the Distillers...
   
   its really good, followed closely by give em the boot 2.
   
   give it a whirl. its cheap, and its Awesome



2. You get 74 minutes of punk,reggae,ska,and psychobilly for $6.If $6 is too hefty a price tag for you to afford without careful consideration,here are 10 the songs rated:
   1.Rancid,Killing Zone-5/5,One of my favorite Rancid songs.
   2.Aggrolites,Dirty Reggae-4/5
   3.Tiger Army,Atomic-3/5,weak guitar.
   4.Slackers,Propoganda-5/5,best reggae.
   5.Disasters,Kiss Kiss Kill Kill-4/5
   6.US Roughnecks,Lost Paradise-3/5,Sounds like Motorhead.
   7.T-Minus,Caught In Between-2/5,annoying vocals.
   8.Die Hunns-Marshall Law-4/5,Clash-esque.
   9.Dropkick Murphys-Shipping Up to Boston-4/5
   10.Lars Frederiksen-4/5,better than expected.
   Most of the remaining tracks are good,too.



3. Great state of the union for Punk in 2004, the Murphys and Ducky Boys to Rancid and Lars Fredrickson...play it loud, share with friends (and enemies)!

5 comments about Sublime:Sublime.

1. This video is good but reeeeaaallly short. It has some halfway decent footage, but if your not a diehard sublime fan, it wont give you much in the way of seeing the band "exposed" or whatever. I suggest Stories, Tales, Lies, and Excagerations. It is full legnth and also has live performances and interviews and what not. But then again, if your reading this, shouldn't you be a diehard fan? R.I.P. Bradley



2. Perfect buy! A little short but definitely worth it! If you love Sublime you'll love this!



3. This DVD is mostly music videos so if your expecting something more its not but it is a very good dvd. RIP Brad Nowell



4. This dvd is great but it doesnt have my favorite Sublime video, Badfish. Other than that its awesome. It has little snippets of brad and the band being interviewed in between each video. The order goes What I Got (Kahne Version), Wrong Way, Santeria, STP, Doin' Time, Date Rape, and What I Got (Leary Version). Great for any Sublime fan but what were they thinking when they excluded Badfish.



5. i'm a huge sublime fan and before buying this item, i haven't run into a sublime product that i didn't care for. this compilation starts with the kahne version of "what i got" and ends with the leary(acoustic) version of the same song. they're the almost the exact same videos. the only videos worth vewing are the amature ones, "stp" and "date rape". the only reason being that they show live footage of brad and not some super-empossed ghost in the desert or on some road sign. if you're an insane hardcore fan, like me, you're going to buy it no matter what i say. if you don't have the cash to throw away on a couple music videos, save your money and just listen to your cd's....you'll get just as much satisfaction...