Less Than Jake – B Is For B-Sides
Sire
2004
[url]www.lessthanjake.com[/url]
Chris – Vocals, Guitar
Roger – Vocals, Bass
J.R – Saxophone
Buddy – Trombone
Vinnie – Drums, Lyrics
Many Less Than Jake lovers everywhere disliked their latest album “Anthem� because of the lack of ska and horns used, and by releasing a CD with b-sides from the “Anthem�-era, they clearly show they have not lost touch with their roots. Personally, releasing this album was for the best, and why “A.S.A.O.K� wasn’t on “Anthem� beats the hell out of me. I had to travel quite a distance to buy this album, and paid £17.99 for it because it’s an import. If I didn’t enjoy it, I would most definitely kill myself.
The album opens with a small drumbeat, leading onto a bassline, then a guitar part, and then finally bringing in the horns, with Chris and Roger repeating “There might not be a next time� in the background of the chorus. The next song, “Sleep It Off� finally brings back the ska we’ve all dearly missed. Ska strokes, crazy basslines, and of course, the brass section blasting away, with a punk chorus. Almost like a new “Johnny Quest Thinks We’re Sellouts�. Most of the songs, if not all, begin and end with a ‘punkish’ style, and perhaps some ska in the middle.
I don’t know why, but I always love Vinnie’s lyrics. Almost as if I can relate to them a bit. Although, the lyrics to “Showbiz? Science? Who Cares?� are very similar to “All My Best Friends Are Metalheads�.
“if you had all the facts, all the fictions
if you knew everything about science and all about religion
would you stand by your convictions
would you still make all the right decisions
would accept someone else's forgiveness in this life�
This is definitely a down side. Lyrics that are basically from another song but re-arranged.
Roger’s basslines are crazy as always, and he wrote a
great bassline for the intro to “A.S.A.O.K.� The drums aren’t spectacular, but are good enough for the album and the songs, and the guitar has some really interesting and toe-tapping riffs.
The shortest song on the album is “Sobriety Is A Serious Business And Business Isn’t So Good� which appeared on the “Science Of Selling Yourself Short� single along with a live version of “The Ghosts Of You And Me�. The song clocks in at a mediocre 47 seconds.
The most interesting song in my opinion would definitely be “Robots One, Humans Zero� I especially love the chorus in it:
“Are we buying what they’re selling? Do we have our eyes open? Life’s not a fashion statement – It takes more than good intentions.�
The brass on this album would be perfectly placed in my opinion. They put it in the right places, and came up with some really great-sounding parts. They make an appearance in nearly, if not all, songs. This is what was “wrong� with “Anthem� in the fans’ point of view – the lack of them. The horns add a little extra something to the album. I can’t quite put my finger on it.
Recommended Tracks:
A.S.A.O.K.
Sleep It Off
National Anthem
Robots One, Humans Zero
All in all, it’s a great album. There’s no doubt about that. In all honesty, I did prefer “Anthem�, because the first time I listened to that I was blown away, and fell in love with it. When I first listened to this, I wasn’t exactly over the moon with it, but it’s still a good album. It deserves a
3/5 in my opinion.
