Album Review: The Offspring – Supercharged

“It’s a lot of work for that 15 minutes of fame” Dexter Holland sings on the 80’s Sunset-strip rocker “Get Some”, and it makes you think, just how much work then does it take for 40 years of it? Well, technically The Offspring, originally formed in 1984 as Manic Subsidal, have been famous for 30 years, since the release of their epic album Smash. That’s still a damn long time to be a band and to remain productive and relevant. But this SoCal crew, in a similar fashion to their latest album Supercharged, continue to be electrified.

This album has plenty of the classic, driving punk rock that fans of the band have been loving for these last few decades. Tracks like the apocalyptic single “Light it Up” (“Prometheus to Armageddon, we’re right on track”), “The Fall Guy” and “Truth in Fiction” speed along on mile-a-minute versus and classic “whoa” choruses. “Truth in Fiction” could just as easily have been a Bad Religion track, with lyrics like “Society’s a fiction when we replace the truth with it”. These are the circle pit songs that will have festival audiences going nuts.

Yet the band is never one to rest on their laurels. They start off the album with one of their most ambitious tracks, “Looking Out For #1”. Book-ended by eerie music that sounds out of a classic horror film, the song then piles on hook after hook after hook, with multiple bridges, chanting, guitar solos, bubbling bass lines and even some xylophone for good measure. Despite all of these elements, the track remains cohesive (the band isn’t trying to be Queen).

On first single “Make It All Right”, the band would say they are trying to be The Beach Boys (or a punk rock version of them). This may be one of the most hopeful and poppy tracks in the band’s discography, following a narrative of a girlfriend lifting the spirits of her man who wants the world to “Give me black clouds on a summer day”. It’s the kind of feel-good fun that has launched the track to and end-of-summer #1 on alternative radio. Even more unique is “Ok, But This is the Last Time”, which sounds like the band interpolating an 80’s pop song. Holland’s vocals have never sounded so smooth or earnest, and while there remains a bouncy pop-punk chorus, there’s a lushness to the production (with even some string accompaniments) which might make you forget you’re listening to a Bob Rock produced record.

And while lyrically there’s some humor in this track, which Holland has said was written with his “kids in mind while writing the lyrics”, as the song’s protagonist is a sucker who continues to give in and be a sucker for someone they love. Unlike on some past albums, the humor here doesn’t feel novelty. Holland sounds like he’s writing from a more natural place than on past misses (“Cruising California (Bumpin’ in my Trunk)” anyone?) and so these songs feel relatable instead of toss-outs.

Sonically, the band is looking back for influences instead of trying to pick-up on the sound of the day. When they pay tribute to Brazil with a proper hard rock head-banger, “Come to Brazil”, the thunderous rolling drums and heavy riffs (surely meant to get their Brazilian fans to go nuts) are straight out of the hair metal playbook. And the album closer, “You Can’t Get There From Here” is possibly the most atmospheric song in the group’s catalog, drawing from Pink Floyd and classic rock grandiosity, even when returning to a punk rock chorus.

At this point in their career, The Offspring are review-proof – their fans world-wide know what to expect and will gladly come out to party with the group. But for those that are interested, you can feel safe in knowing the band isn’t phoning-in their new music. They can deliver tight, classic punk anthems while still having some fun expanding their songwriting reach.

Supercharged is out everywhere on Concord Records on October 11th. Listen to the pre-released tracks here!