Less Than Jake
Anthem

THE REVIEW

For the series of summer albums, on my personal ska...le (?) I would place this Anthem quite high. It's a vital record that inspires joy from the first minute. It certainly won't be a constant presence on your home player or in your car, but it will know how to be appreciated, especially during hot periods and, in any case, when you feel like lifting your spirits a bit.

Let's get it straight! It is certainly not the best of their repertoire. There isn't the speed of an "Ask the eight magic ball" or the eclecticism (in their own way) of an "All my best friends are metalheads", but the album stands at decidedly high levels with a new approach. It might seem like nothing new under the sun for those who don't like ska, but definitely a breath of fresh air for the fans of this group, thanks to a shift that moves the Gainesville (CA) band away from the purely ska area and brings them to more punk shores. The opening (Welcome to the new south) is moderate and not overly engaging, allowing us to get used to a summer habitat thanks to its strange vacation feel. Hardly a moment passes before a ghost appears...Ghost of you & me appears in our ears like a mirage, like cool water in a desert. Definitely the masterpiece of the entire work. The next two tracks remain detached and nonchalant (The art of selling yourself short) and almost melancholic (Look what happened the last time). Then there's a brief skacore interlude with the fifth track. For the rest, it stands on the classic Less Than Jake productions, with an exception like She's gonna break soon that injects you with an amazing energy. The whole work feels like pure, fresh water, like a swim in a clear sea when the heat is suffocating, but I don't feel like labeling it as their masterpiece. For that, there are "Borders & Boundaries" and "Pezcore", but as an introduction to the band, it fits perfectly.

As usual, the listening is reserved for fans of the genre and those looking for a carefree accompaniment to their summer. Definitely a hundred to a thousand times better than any festivalbar.

Enjoy.