The SoCal punk rockers return to the charts with their latest release “Supercharged” since their 2021 release “Let the Bad Times Roll”. This album could be one of the best releases of the year. A well-rounded punk rock, catchy, in your face, melodic album from start to finish. Long-time Offspring fans will be delighted with the sound of this album as well as hooking in new listeners with anthemic melodies and punk attitude riffs.
The singles “Make it All Right”, “Light it Up” and “Come to Brazil” encompass the vibe of the album with the perfect balance of dynamics and the stalwart sound of the ‘American Pie era rockers’.
The album opens with “Looking out for #1”, a catchy, lyric-laden song with plenty of Offspring vibes about it, including vocal harmonies and overdubs. The energy carries into “Light it Up” the second single released which is a fast-paced, in-your-face hit with plenty of punk attitude and some melodic minor taste. The lyrics about being the underdog against society and rising above it, classic Offspring. “The Fall Guy” continues the trend with catchy lyrics about being the scapegoat for someone, content that is relatable. Dexter’s lyrics and melodies don’t miss a punch on this album, he perfectly balances simplicity and complexity throughout the album. A real big part of what makes this album great. “Make It All Right” is the first single release from the album and is followed by “Ok, But This is the Last Time”. Songs with nostalgic feel but with a modern sound, plenty of melody and harmony that catches the ear. Really well produced songs for today’s audience with elements that take you back to your high school days.
“Truth in Fiction”, “Come to Brazil”, “Get Some” and “Hanging by a Thread” move back to the thrashy, punk vibe and are timed perfectly in the album line up. So much energy, tasteful dynamics, sick rhythms, tempo changes and a sense of unpredictability in these songs make it such a strong part of the album. Dexter’s lyrics and melody continue to rock bloody hard but lack the depth of what happens in the first part of the album. Nonetheless, a nice light-hearted change for listeners and a fun vibe comes from this part of the album.
The album closes on “You Can’t Get There From Here”, a solid pop rock song with a great melody and hook. The balance of dynamics in this album are so tasteful from the start all the way through to the end, finishing on a high note.
The only criticism of this album is that The Offspring are victims of their own success. A great album and each song is catchy and enjoyable in its unique way. If they did not have such a great catalogue already, I could foresee this album shooting them into stardom! A great listen from start to finish, have already come close to thrashing it to the point of getting bored of it…not a bad thing!!!
The Offspring: Facebook
Release Year: 2024
Label: Concord Records
Category: Album
Country: USA
Reviewed by Tom Christides (Tommy Gun)
