ALBUM REVIEW: Silver Linings (Deluxe) – Less Than Jake
LESS THAN JAKE are definitely no strangers to the industry, celebrating an exceptional 30 years as a band this year. There is no denying that the Floridan ska punk five-piece have paved the way for ska to be more of a followed genre within the alternative punk scene, with nine studio albums and EP releases to their name. In light of such a huge milestone in their musical career, LESS THAN JAKE have chosen to mark the anniversary with a deluxe version of their 2020 album Silver Linings. This is something that we weren’t necessarily expecting from the band, with Silver Linings being the first album release for LESS THAN JAKE in around seven years.
This new, reimagined deluxe version of the release contains two brand new full band tracks: No One To Judge Me and Empty Lines, not to mention four acoustic recordings of previous singles Anytime And Anywhere, Dear Me, The High Cost Of Low Living and Move. It is a rather unusual move for LESS THAN JAKE to have released a deluxe version of this particular album, rather than of a more notable release such as 2003’s Anthem. Nevertheless, Silver Linings is obviously a compilation that they hold dear to their hearts. From listening to it two years later in this new and improved form, it is evidently clear that there are still some absolutely fantastic songs on this record. Opener The High Cost Of Low Living is a prime example of this, with the catchy melodies and ska-style instrumentals just making this one of the best songs on the record. Additionally, tracks such as The Test and Lost At Home are still as impactful as ever before, still exuding the same amount of energy and passion as heard two years prior.
This made us excited to hear the new tracks that LESS THAN JAKE have to offer on this deluxe release. First up is No One To Judge Me, which has a SUM 41 feel about it from the get-go, with a fast-paced punk-style melody throughout. This is not necessarily a track that we were expecting, but this sound suits them so well. It’s not the most obvious fit compared to the rest of the ska-fuelled album, but it progresses on well from the heavier, gritty style of the 11th track Bill – most definitely a pleasant shift from the norm. The other new track is Empty Lines. This is more of a single we would typically expect from the band, with the frequent use of brass instrumentals being a fundamental and important part of the song as always. However, we think that No One To Judge Me is slightly more memorable due to the drastic change of sound.
Next up are the bonus acoustic tracks. Coming in first is the toned down version of Anytime And Anywhere. It is strikingly different in terms of pace, changing things up successfully nearer the end; we would even say it’s better acoustically as there is almost too much going on in the standard version. Lead vocalist Chris DeMakes‘ vocals really shine here. The acoustic version of Dear Me follows in a similar vein and makes you appreciate the band’s musical talent even more than before. DeMakes‘ guitar work here is truly outstanding throughout, with the vocal harmonisation sounding amazing in this toned down rendition. The High Cost Of Low Living sounds completely different from the original, but in the best way possible. The final acoustic track is Move, which again highlights DeMakes‘ vocal talent. All of these acoustic versions prove to any doubters that LESS THAN JAKE are more than capable of toning things down and doing something a little different.
Even though a lot of the songs featured within the deluxe version of Silver Linings seem to sound pretty much identical apart from a few exceptions, you can’t argue that LESS THAN JAKE aren’t prepared to try new things musically. In addition to the much expected ska-punk sound taking over this release, the punk songs are undoubtedly full of attitude and endless energy. It goes without saying though that Silver Linings isn’t necessarily a bad album overall, it’s just predictable in many ways.
Rating: 6/10
Silver Linings (Deluxe) is set for release on October 21st via Pure Noise Records.
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