The Offspring - Americana (1998/2015)

With integrity intact and a hearty combination of poppy punk and wit throughout, the Offspring's fifth album is a raucous ride through America as seen through the eyes of a weary, but still optimistic, young kid. Riffs on political correctness, '70s radio fodder, and suburban disquiet are spread thick on Americana. If the band's targets seem a bit simple and predictable, its music rarely is. The SoCal roots aren't played to a fault, the blend of salsa and alterna-rock sounds natural, and the Offspring pretty much laugh at their culture, as well as themselves, the entire time. Best track is "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)," which manages to bridge Def Leppard and Latin hip-hop (and the musical timeline they represent) and, in the process, disrobes Middle America's average white teen's quick fascination with and instant disposability of a once-regional heritage. With Americana, the Offspring are merely contributing their part.

by Michael Gallucci

Tracklist:

01. Welcome (0:10)
02. Have You Ever (3:58)
03. Staring at the Sun (2:13)
04. Pretty Fly (For a White Guy) (3:09)
05. The Kids Aren't Alright (3:00)
06. Feelings (2:51)
07. She's Got Issues (3:49)
08. Walla Walla (2:58)
09. The End of the Line (3:01)
10. No Brakes (2:05)
11. Why Don't You Get a Job? (2:49)
12. Americana (3:17)
13. Pay the Man (8:10)
14. Pretty Fly (Reprise) (1:06)