Every Less Than Jake Album Ranked

Posted on by Eric Navarro

Less than Jake are the unsung heroes of 3rd wave ska. While they may not have had a giant radio hit like Reel Big Fish and Mighty Mighty Bosstones, their influence on ska was just as impactful. Just listen to any up-and-coming ska band (assuming those exist) and you’ll hear the countless ska tropes that LTJ basically invented along the way.

So sit back and enjoy our rankings of every studio album from the band with the best “time spent on Warped Tour-to-accusations” ratio of all time. Oh, and we can’t wait to read the comments about how some EP or B-Side collection we didn’t rank is, “AKCHOOALLY THEIR ONLY GOOD ONE.”

9. See the Light (2013)

This entire album is a disappointing listen. With the exception of one song that sounds just as huge and emotional as some of the more epic tracks on “Anthem,” the rest of the album plays like a collection of the blandest songs across their entire catalog. They’re not bad but they’re not nearly up to par with the rest of the discography. This record suffers from a massive influence of a bland type of modern punk rock that many people call “Fest Punk.” Just don’t call it that around anyone who actually goes to Fest.

Play it again: “Sunstroke”
Skip it: “Do the Math”

8. In With the Out Crowd (2006)

This is the only other Less Than Jake record that isn’t amazing. They’re a fantastic band so let’s get this out of the way before gushing over the rest of their catalog. “In With the Out Crowd” is LTJ’s major label follow-up to “Anthem” and gets the nod over “See the Light” simply because it’s a major departure from the band’s typical sound. It’s at least an interesting collection of iffy songs as opposed to a boring collection of iffy songs. This record made me want to call cry “Sellouts!” but my voice was still hoarse from doing that when they put out “Anthem” (except I was wrong that time).

Play it again: “Hopeless Case”
Skip it: “Don’t Fall Asleep on the Subway”

7. Silver Linings (2020)

It’s wild how Less Than Jake’s musical palette is expanding while Reel Big Fish’s is shrinking. In the ’90s, LTJ was the distant 4th on the Mount Rushmore of ska behind No Doubt, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and RBF. That changed drastically with the success of “Anthem” and Less Than Jake has continued to be a major force in keeping ska alive, and even pushing the genre forward, ever since. “Silver Linings” does an incredible job showing that LTJ can still experiment and modify their core sound in a way that’s classic yet fresh. There are a lot of corny lyrics and the Fest Punk-vibe is strong, which holds it back a bit.

Play it again: “So Much Less”
Skip it: “Move”

6. GNV FLA (2008)

Once the band was freed from the ska-hating shackles of a major label, they released GNV FLA. This album is a complete return to form (and genre). This record is rawly produced, which matches the songwriting. The less-polished production works perfectly as a (likely accidental) throwback to how their early records sounded. Lyrically, this album doesn’t hold a candle to LTJ’s top 5, but musically it’s right up there with their truly S-tier records.

Play it again: “Abandon Ship”
Skip it: “Malachi Richter’s Liquor’s Quicker”

5. Pezcore (1995)

Now we’re fucking talking! The rest of this list is primo-LTJ gold. “Pezcore” sounds like a local band at times (which they were when they made it) but it sounds like the best local band of all time. The songs are incredibly well-written, lightning-fast ska classics, recorded exactly how you’d expect for an unsigned ska band in 1995. It’s full of little flaws but that’s part of what makes it perfect. Catch 22 often gets credit for popularizing “hyperstrokes,” but “Pezcore” led the way. This is a game-changing record if you care about ska. So I guess it’s not that game-changing for most of you. But it is to me, dammit.

Play it again: “Liquor Store”
Skip it: “Process”

4. Borders & Boundaries (2000)

“Borders & Boundaries” is the album where Less Than Jake truly came into their own as writers of, let’s say, anthems. The songs on this record sound gigantic. Many of the songs are instant campfire sing-a-long classics. Oh, also, this album has a lyric about how people in the punk scene aren’t funny. The only other time I’ve heard a lyric like that was in a song by Against Me!, who are from the same city. Damn, the Gainesville Florida punk scene must have the worst sense of humor. I wouldn’t worry about it though, Gainesville isn’t a big punk town.

Play it again: “Last Hour of the Last Day of Work”
Skip it: “Mr. Chevy Celebrity”

3. Losing streak (1996)

There is a special place in my heart for any ska album that came out between 1995-1998. This was when 3rd wave ska had its largest influence in the music world and the records that were produced during this period were so inspired and advanced the genre so massively. For instance, on “Losing Streak” you can hear countless ska tropes that were basically created while making this album. The singers learned how to synergize their vocals in a way they’d continue to perfect throughout their career. It’s a real shame the only radio hit they had during this era was “We’re All Dudes.” Just kidding, that’s worth a million “Sellout”s.

Play it again: “Krazy Glue”
Skip it: “Rock-N-Roll Pizzaria”

2. Anthem (2003)

Long-time fans know that this record was a fucking force. Even longer-time fans know it was not initially well-received. As a major label release that was almost entirely stripped of ska, hardcore fans were initially put off by the album’s radio rock vibes. Hell, there’s an entire album of B-sides from this record that sound like the ska album the band intended to make as a follow-up to “Borders & Boundaries.” “Anthem” is a prime example of how limitation breeds creativity. Go listen to this record, especially if you’re not into ska. It’s also pretty sick how they called their shot by naming this record “Anthem” and then wrote like 14 songs that were damn sure anthems.

Play it again: “Plastic Cup Politics”
Skip it: “Motown Never Sounded so Good”

1. Hello Rockview (1998)

Ungodly-catchy hooks, perfect instrumental and vocal synergy, and lyrics that still make me want to scream off the rooftop that I’m leaving this town, nobody gets me, and fuck you Mom and Dad. If you can find the CD booklet, open it up and immediately listen to this album even if you’ve heard it a million times before. The booklet re-orders the songs and turns them into comic book pages with the lyrics serving as dialogue and exposition. In this context, “Hello Rockview” tells the story of an adolescent re-visiting everything in his hometown and contemplating his past, future, and self before finally leaving for good. Though you can get the same basic story from listening to it in the regular order too, I guess.

Play it again: “Danny Says” (I don’t care what you say Chris Demakes, this song rules)
Skip it: N/A

Top 15 Iggy Pop Songs That Make You Realize What A Guy Can Do When He’s Not Burdened By Shirts

Posted on by Nathan Kamal

We all know that Iggy Pop is a streetwalking cheetah with a heart full of napalm, but the man born James Osterberg is much more than your standard war-crime feline. As such, we here at The Hard Times have taken the time to put together a list of the Iggy Pop solo songs that really indicate the breadth of his oeuvre, which don’t even require you to smear peanut butter across your bare chest. If you want to, though, that’s up to you.

15. “Real Wild Child (Wild One)”

That’s right, we’re starting off with the poppiest song that Iggy ever made, a straight cut of 1980s cheese that was the best part of “Crocodile Dundee II: Dundee Nights.” If you’re Australian, you might know this as a cover of the iconic Johnny O’Keefe song that is often considered the breakthrough of Aussie rock, but to everyone else, it’s just a straight-up fun time.

14. “Fall in Love with Me”

The final track of Iggy Pop’s 1977 album “Lust for Life” (more on that one later), “Fall in Love with Me” apparently came about through a jam session with the Sales brothers, two guys whose mustaches are not too be fucked with. While “joyful” might not be the word you associate with Iggy, listen to him sing “You’re young at heart/ A bottle of white wine” and try not to think it sounds like a good time to hang with him.

13. “Living on the Edge of the Night”

We’ll be direct: “Brick by Brick” is a pretty shitty album and includes a song written by John Hiatt, so we know we’re toeing the line here. But “Living on the Edge of the Night” manages to transcend one of Iggy’s worst efforts by channeling the embarrassingly earnest balladry of Meat Loaf which elevates the album, if only for a few minutes.

12. “Loves Missing”

In recent years, Iggy Pop has grown increasingly contemplative, which makes sense for a 75-year-old man who has looked exactly the same since 1996. That explains the poignancy of “Loves Missing,” a ballad that works exactly because of the weathered, battered tone of the icon’s voice and the sensation that this is a guy who’s actually seen some shit in his life.

11. “Wild America”

“Wild America” might have one of the greatest riffs that Iggy has ever sung over, a metallic k.o. courtesy of Eric Schermerhorn, who would later go on to play with Seal, Pink, and other people who only have ridiculous names. This track might be the closest that Iggy has ever come to recapturing the vicious nastiness of peak Stooges, and there might not be a better closing line in his oeuvre than “We all made mistakes.”

10. “Turn Blue”

Okay, now we’re getting into the good shit, also known as the Bowie years. “Turn Blue” is as much a free-association tone poem as it is a song, reportedly recorded in an ecstatic, extemporaneous session before the singer’s girlfriend dragged him out of Bowie’s studio. It’s a bizarre, mournful, and gospel-like journey through Iggy’s darkest years, and as soulfully confessional as he would ever get.

9. “Get Your Shirt”

At one point, Iggy Pop and Underworld decided that the “Trainspotting” soundtrack was a good enough reason for them to get together and record an EP and that it actually fucking slapped. Sometimes stupid ideas actually work out.

8. “Candy”

Despite our best efforts, “Brick by Brick” is back on here again, which makes us think, is this album actually good? Fuck no, it’s not, but “Candy” is an undeniable banger, buoyed by the B-52’s Kate Pierson and the best pop melody Iggy’s ever written.

7. “I’m Bored”

“I’m Bored” is the most memorable track off “New Values,” Iggy Pop’s third solo album and reunion with late-period Stooges guitarist James Williamson. It may be the apex of the singer’s youthful snottiness and the blueprint for pretty much every pop-punk singer ever, which has to count for something.

6. “La Vie en Rose”

Did you know that Iggy Pop released an all-covers album of mostly French pop songs in 2012 titled “Après?” Did you know it includes “La Vie en Rose,” the signature song of Edith Piaf, the greatest singer to ever live? Did you know it actually is fucking heartfelt, heartbreaking, and makes a case for Iggy as a not-so-closet romantic? Now you do.

5. “The Passenger”

You know it had to be on here. This song might be the best thing Jim Morrison ever did, and that was to inspire Iggy Pop.

4. “Nightclubbing”

At a certain point, the dividing line between David Bowie’s sonic treatments and Iggy Pop’s solo works in the 1970s begins to blur. Bowie himself later admitted that he basically treated the Stooges singer like a guinea pig in his synthesizer experiments, but since it resulted in immortal drug anthems like “Nightclubbing,” all can be forgiven.

3. “Sister Midnight”

Oh hey, we’re back at “The Idiot,” Iggy Pop’s first solo album. The riff to this one is so fucking sick, it had to be recycled for Bowie’s “Lodger” album and turned into yet another hit for Iggy’s best friend and frequent lifeline. It also features Iggy at his most evocative and poetic, drifting from lovelorn ballad to strange Oedipal reverie to ecstatic baying at the moon. It doesn’t get much better than this, except for the next two songs.

2. “Lust for Life”

How is this not Iggy’s best song, you ask? What can be better than those fucking drums, based on an Armed Forces Network call signal and played by Hunt Sales? Bowie wrote the song on a goddamn ukelele like a YouTube personality and it should be engraved on Iggy’s tombstone, so what could be better than this track?

1. “Tonight”

This one. This is the best track of Iggy Pop’s entire solo career and we don’t care what you think. There is no song in his entire discography that more completely utilizes everything that makes him great than “Tonight,” a ballad with a perfect Bowie pop hook and Iggy’s world-destroyingly heartbreaking tale of lying to an OD’ing girlfriend that everything will be okay, even though it most assuredly will not.

The song begins with a shotgun kick of drums, before wailing, mournful choral vocals usher in Iggy himself, bleakly describing finding his love dying in their bed from the addiction destroying them both. The singer never sounded bleaker than in this declaration, before a gorgeous synthesizer line kicks in and Iggy sings in his warmest, most comforting voice that “everyone will be alright, tonight/ no one moves, no one talks/ no one thinks, no one walks tonight/ tonight.”

For all of the darkness of Iggy’s songwriting (and life), there is a core of bizarre, heartfelt humanity at the center of it. That’s what makes the rest of it so harrowing, and both sides have never been expressed so well as on “Tonight.”

Dive Bar Clearly Displays “Cash Only” Sign on Tiny Handwritten Piece of Scrap Paper Taped to Darkest Corner of Bar

Posted on by Russ Bizaro

PHILADELPHIA– A local dive bar is making sure all customers are made aware of their payment policy with a helpful “Cash Only” sign handwritten on the smallest piece of scrap paper that’s taped to the corner of the bar where all the lightbulbs are out, according to sources.

“When the bartender said they don’t take credit cards, I was like ‘sweet, you guys must’ve upgraded to Apple Pay,’” said patron Alex Schwartz. “Then the bartender pointed to a scraggly ‘Cash Only’ sign written in pencil that was clearly soaked in water at one point. Someone told me it’s really easy to see if you look at exactly 6:36 p.m. when the sun aligns perfectly and a thin sliver of light comes through the crack of the door. Totally my bad for missing it, I fucking guess.”

Bartender Andrea Patterson remembers creating the sign.

“I added a second, even smaller sign as backup. Some of the letters wore off so it only says ‘Cas ly’ but there should be plenty of context clues,” explained Patterson. “Plus in those rare cases where someone doesn’t carry large amounts of cash anymore, we now have an ATM that sometimes works. It’s the one that says ‘Lehman Brothers Bank’ and it has a small convenience fee of $25.”

Owner Max Retner takes pride in the work he’s done to keep the bar authentic.

“I remember when I first heard of this new technology called credit cards. The year was 2016 and I thought it would never catch on. And it didn’t,” said Retner. “We strive to make sure we always stay behind the times here. It’s not easy ensuring that one toilet is always broken and half the lightbulbs are out. We’re currently looking to downgrade our register to a mechanical one that gets jammed and all of the buttons are worn down so it’s impossible to train new staff.”

At press time, Schwartz was seen trying to peel his boots off the recently re-stickied floor.

Inside the Ironic ICP Fan to Earnest Juggalo Pipeline

Posted on by Charles Bill

I walk into a dark room. Sitting on a chair in the shadows is a man with a painted face. He’s asked to remain anonymous, for safety reasons, he preferred to go by his Juggalo name ‘Sexy Dead Bitch’. I’m here today to discuss a sensitive issue, one many would rather keep quiet. This man is going to be my guide inside the ironic ICP fan to earnest Juggalo pipeline.

SDB was not always the painted face Faygo consuming Juggalo that sits before me today. He used to be just a college student when the video for Miracles came out. He thought it was so funny that these harlequins didn’t know about magnetism, and made fun of them with his friends. Sure, it was funny to say that Violent J looks like Guy Fieri if he had less self-respect, that got a laugh from his friends. For them, that was enough. For Sexy Dead Bitch, his ironic obsession had just begun.

SDB tells me about his first time going to an ICP concert. He convinced his roommate to go with him, it would be so funny to go there and make fun of these face-painting idiots. “Wouldn’t it be hilarious if we painted our faces too?” They went to the concert, indistinguishable from any other Juggalo. Only a strange thing happened. SDB’s roommate was making fun of the Gander Mountain employees at the show when SDB didn’t find it funny anymore. These folks understood something deeper, the fact that we are all just living in the Dark Carnival, and Shaggy 2 Dope was the only one brave enough to talk about it.

The next day SDB had a craving for Faygo that he couldn’t control. He drank liters of it before noticing he hadn’t cleaned off his face paint from the night before. And why should he? This was his new face, his true face. From that day forward he presented an encyclopedic knowledge of all states’ age of consent. He had become a true Juggalo.

I sat across from Sexy Dead Bitch with my mouth hanging open. I offered to bring in a scientist to discuss his transformation, but he affirmed that he didn’t want to talk to a scientist because those motherfuckers lie and make him pissed.

Local Man’s Latest Rambling Voicemail from Mother Features Phoebe Bridgers

Posted on by The Hard Times Staff

ROCKLAND, Mass. — Local man Eddie Clifford was surprised to discover the most recent extended voicemail from his mother Ruth featured a cameo from acclaimed singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers, confirmed multiple confused sources.

“My mom’s voicemails always start off the same. She starts with ‘I love you, I miss you’ and then it usually gets kind of dark when she starts to let loose with what she actually wanted to say,” said Clifford while trying to upload the voicemail message to Youtube. “Today was different though, around the four-minute mark my mother just stopped talking and suddenly it was Phoebe Bridgers singing a beautiful song about how my mother raised me to be better than this, and how I need to take a long look in the mirror. Then it cut back to my mom who sounded a little tipsy saying ‘Don’t bother calling me back.’”

Bridgers, who has been a featured guest vocalist on multiple notable tracks over the past few years, says she was excited to work with Clifford’s 64-year-old mother.

“I first discovered Ruth by accident on Facebook in 2017. She would post some of the most hilarious status updates like ‘Why is Eddie getting married?’ and ‘Can I force my son oldest son to get a divorce?’ I think she was trying to use Google but got confused,” said Bridgers during a 40-second break from touring. “I had my management reach out to her immediately. It took her nearly six years to respond, but it was worth the wait. When I heard she planned on having a bottle of wine and calling her son I needed to be a part of it. I asked her to do some work with boygenius, but that led her to talk about how Eddie did really good in school and now acts like an idiot.”

Popular music reviewer Anthony Fantano was quick to praise the collaboration between Mrs. Clifford and Bridgers.

“Ruth Clifford has been known for years in the underground voicemail world as one of the most prolific talkers of her generation, and combining that with the toned-down style of Phoebe Bridgers is taking the ‘guilt trip voicemail’ to a new level,” said Fantano. “Not once do any of Ruth’s complaints seem forced, and it’s justifiable that she wants to hear from her oldest son more often. Then when Phoebe comes in—it’s just a punch straight to the guy. I just hope my own mother and Phoebe can also collaborate on a voicemail about how I’m a personal disappointment despite my success.”

At press time, Mrs. Clifford admitted she would be taking a break from voicemails while she tries to figure out why her television remote is “acting so weird.”

REPORT: Someone’s Gotta Tell Mom That’s Not What Fisting Means

Posted on by Patrick Coyne

CHESTERFIELD, Mich. — Local siblings recently came to the awkward conclusion that one of them needs to tell their mom fisting means something very different than what she thinks, following an embarrassing social media gaffe.

“My mom was at a charity golf event and got to meet some former Tigers pitcher. Only when she bragged about it on Facebook, she told everyone she ‘fisted’ Justin Thompson, as in ‘fist-bumped’ him,” said oldest daughter Shannon Levine. “It was one thing when mom kept calling a conference call between her, myself, and my brother a three-way. Or referring to the strap she uses to hang her glasses from her neck a ‘strap on,’ but this needs to be stopped. Still, we’re all dreading having to break it to my sweet, Christian mother that some people enjoy the sensation of a clenched fist invading their anus.”

Mom in question, Loretta Levine, gave some insight about her life.

“Well, I’m a retired school teacher. Sure, I miss it sometimes. Cutting it up with the kids, felching until we can’t breathe, which is slang for laughing, so they told me. Now I mostly just stay at home felching with my husband, fingering through my phone, or catching the lunch specials at Guiesppes, which us locals call ‘The G Spot,’” explained the family matriarch. “But the highlight of my week is watching my grandson Aiden. The other day we caught the new Spider-Man. It was so thrilling seeing Tim Holland shoot thick, white ropes all over Michael Keaton.”

Digital expert Erica Bridges offers services specializing in training parents to avoid such moments.

“While most Baby Boomers are immune to social media embarrassment thanks to a hardy insulation of ignorance and naivety, it’s their children who really suffer. God forbid a parent share a laughing emoji on a post about a friend of a friend’s suicide, or mistake Facebook for Google, or worse yet, PornHub,” said Bridges. “Our goal is to train the technologically impaired ME generation how not to make fools of themselves online. Or if that’s not possible, set them up with a dummy Facebook app that can’t connect to the internet, so they can instead shout their malapropisms and right wing propaganda into the void.”

At press time, the seemingly innocent mother of three casually mentioned her plans to cuck her husband later as decades-long members of their local swinger’s community.

Unbelievable: My Parents Didn’t Listen to a Single Parenting Podcast When They Raised Me

Posted on by Matt McInerney

I recently discovered something horrifying. My parents didn’t listen to a single parenting podcast as they raised me! And as far as I can tell, based on that information, they just kinda winged it!

It does make my childhood make more sense, though. On my first-grade birthday, my mom passed out hand-crafted heart-shaped invitations to my classmates and invited them over for homemade cake. No theme, no color-coordinated gift bags, no trampolines. Not even a donkey to pet. Never has a lack of podcast consulting been more apparent. I got stuck with a quaint day of quality time with loving friends and family. Boring!

Speaking of boring, how about my name? Jerry? What a bland snoozefest. Did they panic at the last minute and see an ice cream label? For God’s sake, listen to one baby-naming podcast in nine months. I can think of five cooler names just off the top of my head: Asher, Brycen, Grayson, Daxton, Paxton. Or even Braxton! How cool could I have been if it just had an X in my name?

And how about the food? They fed me nothing but purees as if they skipped every single baby-led weaning episode in their feed. On top of that, they act horrified when I hand my baby an entire avocado. It is a fact that if you don’t watch your kid choke a few hundred times before they turn two, they will live in fear of carrots their whole lives.

I bet they gave me formula too. Where were the busybody moms around that could have shamed my mom into breastfeeding? Another neighborhood mom couldn’t have managed one shitty comment in the grocery store as she handed me a bottle of formula? Maybe I was just one piece of snarky unsolicited advice away from being a super genius.

They’re just blessed I turned out as great as I did. Through some stroke of luck, I managed to survive every misstep and live long enough to think of the theme “One-derland” for my own kid’s first party.

What We’re Listening to This Week

Posted on by Corey Montgomery

Much like vitamins and other supplements that you don’t take or keep track of in your diet, new music is essential for your health. We’re no doctors here, but we do care about your well-being, so without further adieu, here’s a prescription for a handful of newer jams and a few classics. Take at least two of these and call us in the morning. With any luck, they should help improve your alarming complexion and low energy levels.

Feeble Little Horse “Steamroller”

More like ‘Fuckin’ Huge Guitars’ amiright? All jokes aside, we hope you’ve been studying for your finals, because this excellent single from Pittsburgh’s Feeble Little Horse is sure to transport you directly to a college dorm room circa 1991. This quartet’s sound is hard to define, but if you’ve ever hoped for a version of My Bloody Valentine with coherent and audible vocals, your wish has been thoroughly granted on this track. Like its title suggests, ‘Steamroller’ will flatten you emotionally, but it should still have you eager to saddle up once their new album ‘Girl With Fish’ trots by in June.

The Hives “Bogus Operandi”

In case you missed it, the Hives are back and they are clearly not fucking around. This absolute ripper of a lead single is their first new song in over a decade. Your first listen is almost certain to get you so excited that you’ll break out in some sort of unidentifiable rash. ‘Bogus Operandi’ has everything you would want from a Certified Hives Hit™ and absolutely nothing more (that’s a good thing). Their upcoming album, ‘The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons’ promises more of the same, so grab your tightest suit and your skinniest tie and smash that goddamned play button. Just try not to break your phone screen again.

Queens of the Stone Age “Do It Again”

You’ve been good so far, so you deserve an older track as a treat. We’ve heard that the new QOTSA single is excellent. We’re afraid that it might suck, though, so we’ve been putting off listening to it. We’re right to be suspicious considering their forthcoming new album is titled ‘In Times New Roman’ which… ugh. Anyway, while attempting to work up the courage to play their new song, ‘Emotion Sickness’ (also ugh), we decided to just revisit their album ‘Songs for the Deaf’ for the entire day instead. It’s a good thing we did, too, because we almost forgot how fucking sick all the little unison guitar bends are in ‘Do It Again.’

Killer Mike “Don’t Let the Devil [feat. thankugoodsir]”

Having spent over a decade co-fronting the massively successful rap duo Run The Jewels, Atlanta rapper/activist/hero Killer Mike, has decided to branch off on his own for the first time since 2012’s ‘R.A.P Music.’ His forthcoming album, ‘MICHAEL,’ promises a somewhat radical departure from the signature RTJ sound, but the El-P produced single, ‘Don’t Let the Devil,’ should provide the perfect bridge to allow you to feel like you aren’t listening to something entirely new. If you happen to be one of the few people that finds RTJ corny, skip this one and play ‘MOTHERLESS’ instead.

Superviolet “Infinite Spring”

Superviolet comes to us three years after Steve Colicek’s excellent indie-punk band, the Sidekicks, called it quits. This project exudes a quieter side of the songwriter while paying homage to some of his earthier influences. With Colicek’s dazzling voice firmly featured, these new sounds are given the space to breathe without sacrificing the intensity fans have come to know and love from the Columbus, Ohio musician. The title track from his solo moniker’s debut album, ‘Infinite Spring’, will have you feeling things you haven’t felt in years while briefly wondering if it’s time to quit that hardcore band you’ve been in for far too long.

Jenny Lewis “Giddy Up”

Jenny Lewis has often flirted with Country-Pop throughout her long and storied career as both a solo artist and frontwoman of legendary indie-rock group, Rilo Kiley. While she never quite went whole-hog on the genre, everything we’ve heard so far from her upcoming full-length, ‘Joy’all’, suggests that she is getting closer to sealing the deal. ‘Giddy Up’ takes Lewis’s trademark Americana-esque sound and sends it into outer space. You’d be forgiven for thinking the song’s producer, Dave Cobb, was tasked with creating a soundtrack to a Western-themed version of Star Wars. Also, whoever is in charge of Star Wars now, please get in touch with us because we’re pretty sure we just inadvertently drafted your next mini-series.

Oasis “Don’t Look Back in Anger”

Time for another tried and true hit. Earlier this week, one of our editors went into his office, gently closed the door, and then proceeded to absolutely blare this song for three hours straight. We were too afraid to ask him what was wrong. When he finally re-emerged all disheveled and puffy-eyed, though, he claimed it was just allergies. Whatever actual strife caused this deeply troubling moment in our work week is irrelevant. Oasis rules, and every single one of your friends that pretend to hate them secretly listens to their unimpeachable album, ‘(What’s the Story) Morning Glory,’ at least three times a week. We commend our very sad colleague for reminding us of this indisputable fact.

Bully “Hard to Love”

Nostalgia comes for us all, so don’t worry about feeling lame when you inevitably get this song’s excellent chorus stuck in your head for the next few days. Serving as the third single from Bully’s upcoming release, ‘Lucky For You,’ ‘Hard to Love’ finds songwriter Alicia Bognanno trading in Bully’s rougher grunge edges for sleeker 90’s alt-pop sounds. That’s not to say the edged bite of the project’s sound is missing, but rather that it’s more refined and laser-focused. Much like how you would erroneously describe your music taste over the past few years.

Did we miss something? Well, no shit we did. There are like… a million songs released per day now. Give us a goddamn break but be sure to complain about our unforgivable omissions in the comments section. We’ll be sure to pretend to think about listening to them at some point.

Tech-Bro at Oakland Punk Show Puts Patches on Patagonia Vest

Posted on by Goodrich Gevaart

OAKLAND, Calif. — Senior Software Engineer Taylor Masters added multiple patches to his Patagonia vest in hopes of blending in at a DIY punk show in The Bottoms neighborhood, confirmed multiple sources who saw Masters drive up in a Tesla.

“I’ve loved punk rock ever since I went to Warped Tour 2014 and saw Mayday Parade rock so hard that I knew I had to be a part of this lifestyle,” said Masters while wiping dust off a fresh pair of Jordans. “I know this scene can be pretty exclusive so I bought some distressed jeans that only cost $250 and a bunch of cool patches that I can iron onto my favorite vest. I feel like a member of The Offspring or something right now, I can’t wait to hop in the mosh pit and let loose. I just wish people would stop spitting on me when they walked by.”

Local punk Gil Carrera was one of the few people in attendance that wasn’t completely turned off by Masters being at the show.

“If this guy wants to come to this part of town and check out some of the best bands in the area then I welcome him. But also, I bet that dude has a laptop and some cash sitting in that car of his, so as soon as he’s not paying attention I’m going to help myself,” said Carrera. “I sort of feel bad for him, he is trying to be social, but he keeps saying ‘What up punker?’ to anyone that gets close to him. And any time he tries to kill time on his phone someone knocks it out of his hands. But hey, he will be fine.”

Tech companies around the Bay Area say they need to constantly warn their employees about “blending in with the locals.”

“A lot of people that work in tech firmly believe they are ‘cool.’ Which is pretty sad, but this means they end up putting themselves in precarious situations because they have no idea everyone fucking hates them,” said Salesforce HR rep Max Insley. “I have a list of ‘tech-friendly’ tattoo studios that won’t charge our employees $40k for a sleeve and hide a bunch of dick and balls in the tattoo. We even paid off management at most dive bars in the area to not beat the shit out of our employees who want to experience ‘the grit of the city’ after a long day of coding.”

Masters was last seen approaching a group of men under a broken streetlight who he mistakenly thought were holding an impromptu rap battle.

Every Weezer Album Ranked

Posted on by Audrey Vieira

Weezer has 15 albums that we know of. They’re not all going to be winners. We learned this the hard way when we decided to rank the CVS receipt that is their discography. Not everyone may agree with the final results but hopefully, it helps a few poor souls understand the tortured geniuses behind “Africa.” Here’s our definitive ranking of every Weezer album, from the ones we cannot defend to the ones we genuinely love.

Honorable Mentions: SZNZ (2022)

These don’t count as Weezer albums, and we are eternally grateful for that. Still, it’s important to acknowledge that they exist so listeners understand just how much content Weezer churns out. Rivers Cuomo made an EP for each of the four seasons and still plans to make more Weezer albums soon. He recorded “Christmas With Weezer” and yet he felt the need to record another wintery release with “SZNZ: Winter” over a decade later. “Ride or die” Weezer fans are brave as hell for committing to such a long and inconsistent ride.

 

15. The Black Album (2019)

As the proverbial Yin to the excellent White Album’s Yang, we should’ve known this would suck long before the first single dropped. Maybe it would’ve been better if Weezer delayed the album to improve it instead of using their extra time to go on side quests like “Africa” and that tour with The Pixies. It’s almost poetic how these 10 mediocre tracks balance out the band’s better work.

Play It Again: “California Snow”
Skip It: “Piece of Cake”

 


14. The Teal Album (2019)

Much like the toxic cycle of giving a mouse a cookie, you can’t ask Weezer to cover “Africa” without Rivers rushing into the studio to record several other tracks that nobody asked for. This sounds more like Weezer going to karaoke night than Weezer going into the studio to make music. We respect their commitment to getting their money’s worth for that party room reservation, but it didn’t need to be an album.

Play It Again: “No Scrubs”
Skip It: “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” (Lorde’s cover is better.)

 

13. Hurley (2010)

Nothing sets this apart from other Weezer albums beyond “Lost” star Jorge Garcia’s smiling face on the cover. “Memories” rules yet somehow the “Jackass 3D” credits version hits harder. The album’s lows aren’t terrible but the highs aren’t anything to write home about. Worst of all, it made us rewatch “Lost” and get pissed at the ending all over again.

Play It Again: “Memories” (But try not to get choked up thinking about “Jackass 3D,” you sentimental bastard.)
Skip It: Those six seasons of “Lost” that supposedly explain this album’s title.

12. The Red Album (2008)

Letting people who are not Rivers Cuomo sing in Weezer seemed like a fun concept in theory. Unfortunately, one of those people was Scott Shriner, a bassist. That isn’t this album’s worst offense — it also helped Weezer win a Grammy. Every time someone refers to Weezer as a Grammy-winning band, they perpetuate falsehoods about this album being good.

Play It Again: “The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived”
Skip It: “Cold Dark World”

 

 

11. Make Believe (2006)

Weezer doesn’t have a good track record with black albums. This one has an uncomfortable song about wanting to comfort an ex-girlfriend after her new partner’s death and a rejected “Shrek 2” track, yet it’s still the lesser of two evils in retrospect. It’s got all the secondhand embarrassment of “Pinkerton” without as many redeeming qualities. When one such quality is a soulless jock jam about Beverly Hills, fans have the right to worry.

Play It Again: “Beverly Hills” (It’s okay to have guilty pleasures.)
Skip It: “The Other Way” (Out of respect for Elliott Smith.)

10. Raditude (2009)

Music doesn’t have to be great to be enjoyable. Sometimes all you need is Lil Wayne saying “Okay bitch, it’s Weezer and it’s Weezy” and a photo of a dog having the time of his life. However, said dog never listened to “Raditude” so take his endorsement with a grain of salt. Most human Weezer fans don’t have that much unconditional love, even for Weezer.

Play It Again: “Can’t Stop Partying”
Skip It: “Love Is The Answer”

 

 

9. Pacific Daydream (2017)

This is definitely a Weezer album that came out in 2017. It tries to ride the high of the White album, and fans of that one will probably like this one too. However, naming songs “Feels Like Summer” and “Beach Boys” doesn’t automatically make them the songs of the summer. The production doesn’t save the album from being compressed into generic power pop. Thankfully, Weezer’s generic power pop shines bright enough for us to forgive that.

Play It Again: “Mexican Fender”
Skip It: “Beach Boys”

 

8. Maladroit (2002)

Weezer tried to establish themselves as serious rock musicians during this album’s recording sessions by leaking singles to radio stations without label approval. This angered their label, who demanded an apology, but Weezer never complied because they have no shame. That shamelessness only becomes more obvious with each repetitive riff and desperate attempt to maintain relevancy, culminating in a disastrous “Muppet Show” appearance where Miss Piggy kidnaps and tortures drummer Pat Wilson. True rock stars don’t lose fights to puppets.

 

Play It Again: “Dope Nose”
Skip It: “Possibilities”

7. The Green Album (2001)

Weezer’s second self-titled album made us realize they were really committed to the monochrome self-titled album bit, though not as dedicated to making great songs or consistent albums. This one has “Hash Pipe” and “Island In The Sun” so we can’t complain too much. Say what you will about the formulaic B-side but Weezer still isn’t the worst band to write a song called “Photograph” in the early aughts.

Play It Again: “Hash Pipe” (We still can’t tell what Rivers says here.)
Skip It: “Simple Pages”

 

6. OK Human (2021)

Ever wondered what an orchestral pop Weezer album would sound like? The result is surprisingly decent when Rivers isn’t going off about how technology is bad. We just wish the band started playing with an orchestra sooner. It would do wonders for a potential Broadway residency if enough New Yorkers realized that even a bad Weezer performance is leagues above the average “Cats” matinee.

Play It Again: “Aloo Gobi”
Skip It: “Screens”

 

5. Van Weezer (2021)

Without sounding like Matt Damon in that infamous SNL skit, Van Weezer is unironically one of the band’s best works. It’s not the misguided glam rock tribute band at your least favorite bar — it’s a stadium-worthy homage to Van Halen that remains unapologetically Weezy. Even the goofy “Crazy Train” sample goes hard. Call this album a guilty pleasure all you want, but don’t deny its ridiculous joy.

Play It Again: “The End Of The Game”
Skip It: “All The Good Ones”

 

4. Everything Will Be Alright In The End (2014)

Originally titled “Sorry about the late aughts,” this “Raditude” apology proves that Weezer can indeed stop partying and make good music if they put their minds to it. They even include some lengthy guitar solos for those who want to listen to Weezer without memorizing so many cringeworthy lyrics. While it’s unclear when Weezer’s discography will ever come to an end, these songs prove that might not be a bad thing.

Play It Again: The Futurescope Trilogy
Skip It: “The British Are Coming”

 

3. The White Album (2016)

Artists have tried and failed to write songs about California since the beginning of time, yet Weezer accomplished this daunting task by releasing a consistently gorgeous album about the Golden State. Warm, summery, and surprisingly romantic, it’s possibly the only Weezer album that you can play on a date without making things weird. The Red Hot Chili Peppers wish they made this masterpiece.

Play It Again: “Do You Wanna Get High?”
Skip It: “L.A. Girlz”

 

2. Pinkerton (1996)

When this album came out, everyone generally agreed it was the second-best Weezer album. That’s still true but now people say that as a compliment. Even those who criticize this record for objectifying women or inspiring a generation of emo bands prefer it over any post-Y2K Weezer release. Music that makes us feel gross is still more interesting than music that makes us feel nothing.

Play It Again: “The Good Life”
Skip It: “Across the Sea” (Especially if you’ve eaten recently.)

 

1. The Blue Album (1994)

Even if Weezer were a consistent band with 15 good albums, this would remain their magnum opus. Weezer lovers and haters alike can’t resist the urge to sing along to “Buddy Holly” and “Say It Ain’t So” — though to be fair, the Venn diagram between those two groups is a circle. It’s the one truly perfect Weezer album. Good luck trying to convince any record store clerk otherwise. The last guy we sent is still missing.

Play It Again: “Buddy Holly”
Skip It: You shouldn’t, but power to you for saving yourself from the Weezer rabbit hole.