LESS THAN JAKE "Silver Linings" ALBUM REVIEW
Let's face it, 2020 has been pretty terrible, from continental fires to a global pandemic, everything that we have looked forward to in 2020 has gone from zero to worse at warped speed.
But these trying times didn't stop ska-punk legends LESS THAN JAKE from recording and launching their highly anticipated 9th studio album SILVER LININGS which dropped on December 11th, 2020 via Pure Noise Records.
It seems as though that despite not being able to tour and play live shows that 2020 has been one of the busiest years for Less Than Jake have released not only their latest album but a project known as the "Lost At Home" Sessions earlier in the year releasing songs that aren't related to their newest record with guitarist Chris DeMakes creating a podcast "Chris DeMakes a Podcast" featuring artists throughout the punk rock world.
I can speak for all punks when I say that SILVER LININGS is just about one of the only things that any of us looked forward to this year. With the pandemic hitting and all live music coming to a screeching halt, it's been a strange time to see how musicians have been able to cope and trek on. With some artists, 2020 has brought a darker side out of their writing, but not with Less Than Jake. While the subject matter in each song has shifted they're still the hard-hitting, fun-loving ska band that they've been for the last 20+ years.
The overall mood of SILVER LININGS is just that, finding the silver linings and the positivity of the worst of situations. Out of the gate "The High Cost of Low Living" is an explosion of punk rock and horns that sets the tone of the album which feels to be about being happy with what you have even if it's not much at all which feels like old school LTJ down to the bumped up key change at the end which carries over in one of the following tracks "Keep On Chasing".
Songs like "Dear Me", "Move" and "Monkey Wrench Myself" are quick personal favorites from the album, possessing all of my favorite qualities of a great punk song, vocal harmonizing, catchy lyrics that are "sing-a-long-able" and catchy as hell melody/riff which is evident almost immediately with the horns in all of these songs.
Silver Linings switches up pace from time to time with songs like and closing track "King of the Downside" "Lost At Home" and "So Much Less" which are much more groove and melodic than "in your face" which really shows that after 28 years, the band has dynamics down to a science.
Silver Linings has been one of my most anticipated albums of the year since I heard about it a few months back and Less Than Jake did not disappoint. But don't take my word for it, check it out now anywhere streaming is available! You can check out Less Than Jake's newest single "Keep On Chasing" below!
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Silver Linings Tracklisting: 1. The High Cost of Low Living 2. Lie To Me 3. Keep on Chasing 4. Anytime and Anywhere 5. The Test 6. Dear Me 7. Monkey Wrench Myself 8. King of the Downside 9. Lost at Home 10. Move 11. Bill 12. So Much Less
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