(Sleep It Off/Shock)

Pez will always be cool

From the opening horn lines, one thing is for certain, Less Than Jake aren’t going to change for nobody.  Newly independent after starting their own label, this latest release from the Ska-punk stalwarts is a return to form, containing no less than fifteen tracks of solid Less Than Jake gold that channels the spirit of their earlier releases like Pezcore and Hello Rockview.  Bouncing basslines abound, punk power-chord riffs and ska up-strokes are in profusion, and those horns we all know and love are around every corner just as one would expect. Another thing that hasn’t changed is the band’s ability to write songs which lyrically challenge the norm – poking fun at growing up, societal expectations, doing coke and basically the human condition in general.  It’s this attitude, cleverly delivered, that has helped the band reach the bedrooms of fans and stages worldwide. Sure, it’s nothing new for this crew, but it sure is a relief to know that bands like this still exist outside the corporate stratosphere and aren’t afraid to risk it all for what they believe in, however strange they may be.

***½

PATRICK PERRIER

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