EP REVIEW: Uncharted – Less Than Jake
Are you looking for a band you can rely on? A band who will consistently give you what you want? A band who deliver ska-punk bangers every single time? Look no further than LESS THAN JAKE. The Florida band have always had the ability to write the most upbeat, catchy and fun-filled song to skank to and fill it with lyrics filled with rage and despair, yet still come out with an overarching sense of positivity. This is something that hasn’t wavered throughout their 30 year career.
Four years since their last full-length, 2020’s Silver Linings, Uncharted is seven tracks of pure, unadulterated LESS THAN JAKE. While other bands might feel pressure to put out new material, they prefer to take their time between records to get things right. This perfectionism shows throughout Uncharted. From bright, lively horns and skank-inducing ska beats to punk rock vocals and hook-filled guitars, this EP gives you real bang for your buck. The ska-punk veterans still know how to deliver after all this time. Even though the band have had a couple of lineup changes over the years (this is only the second release since drummer Matt Yonkers joined), they have never lost their signature sound.
The EP opens with a bang on Broken Words. The single was released earlier this year and showcases the trademark LESS THAN JAKE sound: punchy choruses, vibrant brass and vulnerable lyrics themed around insecurity. This is truly an anthem for the over-thinkers. Sunny Side shows the band at their most lyrically positive with both Chris Demakes’ and Roger Lima’s vocals bouncing off each other and sounding stronger than ever. This will be a great live track that could make even the most stone-faced metalhead bounce.
No LESS THAN JAKE fan could be disappointed with this EP, which has already had four of its seven tracks released as singles; a testament to their consistency in songwriting. Tracks such as Not My Problem and Shake Loose The Truth are future classics that could easily have been at home on seminal album Hello Rockview, showing that they are a band who know how to give the people what they want.
Rating: 8/10
Uncharted is out now via Pure Noise Records.
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