"Ah Fuck! FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!" Can you think of a better way to start a record, one that encapsulates intense anger and annoyance as well? I'm not sure I own such a record. No doubt, i'll be corrected in a week by someone with the most hardcore opening to a song in the world, but for now I can sit and look smug that this tops my pile.
Dexter's vocals have that distinctive ring to them, edging on the crazed shouting of a madman at the ultimate end of his tether, and as the drums pound on, Dexter pours his guts out into the microphone, as do the backing vocals which are equally emotive. Like a ridiculously over-shaken beer bottle, he snaps during the bridge and resorts to yelling into the mic, adding to the immensity of the song - good stuff. 'We are one'slows it all down initially, but cracks half a minute in when it realises it can't really contain itself, no matter how hard it tries; the unity strong lyrics "we are one, you know it's true - don't fuck with us, or we'll fuck with you" are sung with dizzying force, and the intentions are laid out on the table for all to see. 'Kick Him When He's Down' starts with what seems like a guitar on it's last legs, straining to stay alive; the unforgiving theme of the song you've probably already grasped, but somehow Dexter adds extra fuel to the fire; the slight lack of calibration between the foreground and background voices adding a slightly less polished and more gritty feel - and it turns out to be far more rewarding than the modern day, dripping-in-polish production techniques which seem to be all the rage. 'Take It Like A Man' doesn't hold that much value for me personally, apart from the very memorable riff which clings on throughout the whole song.
'Get it Right'is another lightning fast affair, and if you're after music to ride or skate to, this record is an absolute must; guaranteed it'll have you utterly pumped for around 4 hours. The immortal 'Dirty Magic' is easily one of my favourite punk songs of all time; superb lyrics, with a sober and disheartened man who can only turn to desperation to tell the tale as the song progresses. The guitars are unforgiving and blend perfectly to almost provide background music; it has a twisted, almost evil feel to it which never really surfaces, but lurks ominously below the surface.
'Hypodermic' twists and turns, again providing pure adrenaline; 'Burn it up', the flame happy classic, manages to create a feeling of complete anarchy as a dislike for order is pushed in your face, and you've little choice but to accept it. 'No Hero' sees Dexter once again demonstrating his split personality technique, as he turns from subdued to raging, with excellent lyrical content 'Second guess, did I do my best?' 'I ain't no fucking hero, i'm just trying to survive myself'; breaking down for the bridge (used many, many more times in later Offspring songs); and like a compressed spring, you know there's a point where it can no longer remain coiled; and it explodes with a chorus bringing the song which justifies itself perfectly. The threatening baseline of 'L.A.P.D' is justified, with the true-ringing "Beat all the white trash! Beat whoever you see! Don't need a reason - LAPD!", showing perhaps more than a little discontent with the state of the police service over there.
'Nothing From Something' IS bottled energy, a song to silence those of you who haven't heard older Offspring instead and bizarrely consign them to the metal/rock bracket; because they simply aren't. 'Forever and a day' is as similarly good, and it leaves you wishing more people had bought this album. It's absolutely incredible. The shock of being told this is Offspring is too much for some people, so break in your friend next door who owns only 'Conspiracy of One' slowly, and they'll begin to realise why the Offspring made such a sitr... 10 years ago...
nick
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