Ixnay on the Hombre - Offspring (The) (CD 1997)

The Offspring were jolted into the mainstream thanks to their third album "Smash." Their success was powered by huge hits such as "Come Out and Play," "Self Esteem," and "Gotta Get Away." It would be a tough act to follow.

That fact proved accurate as their follow-up, "Ixnay on the Hombre," was looked upon as a disappointment producing short-lived hits. However, I was not disappointed in the least. In fact, "Ixnay on the Hombre" has graced my CD player numerous times. It's one of the few albums I know every word to, and now I will explain why I've found it so addictive.

The album opens with an amusing disclaimer in which a circus ringmaster (Jello Biafra) proclaims that "this album contains explicit depictions of things which are real. These real things are commonly known as life." I've heard other acts, including Eminem, try to make such disclaimers, but none have the same humorous-yet-intelligent, biting sarcasm as this one.

Now onto the music. They open with "Meaning of Life,"
which immediately makes use of the Offspring's chanting abilities. No other band has the talent to find new ways to yell "Yeah!" and "Whoa!" like the Offspring.

"Mota" is a fast-paced jam describing the wasted life of a pothead. They slow down the tempo but not the energy on "Me and My Old Lady." This song has a strange theme to it. I'm not sure why a young punk band would sing about an angry, old married couple, but hey, whatever works.

"Cool To Hate" is a brilliant parody of adolescent curmudgeons - you know, those kids who are miserable because they think it's cool to hate everything and everyone. "I hate the jocks and I hate the geeks/ I hate the trendies but I also hate the freaks."

"Leave It Behind" is a hard-hitting tune dealing with putting anger behind you no matter how much you've been screwed over. The music and words fit together perfectly allowing the listener to feel the speaker's rage as he struggles with the urge to react vengefully.

Next up is my personal favorite, "Gone Away." This is the most honest and emotional song I have heard from the Offspring. The lyrics are straight from the heart as they describe the pain felt from the loss of a loved one. "I reach to the sky and I'm calling out your name/ Oh please let me trade." The heavy energy of "Gone Away" adds to the feeling of frustration at not being able to bring the person back.

"I Choose" is a goofy but cool song about life. Then we have a brief "Intermission." This is very funny but you just have to hear it for yourself. The soothing nature of "Intermission" is blasted away by Dexter shouting "Ok, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!" to kick off the fast and angry "All I Want." A great song packed into about a two-minute space.

"Way Down the Line" has a fun sing-along chorus to contrast its hopeless theme about how children with screw-ups for parents will turn out to be screw-ups themselves one day. But the depression is turned around by "Don't Pick It Up," a silly song with a serious message. Any song with a reference to Pat from Saturday Night Live is alright by me.

"Amazed" is an extremely powerful song about despair. I rank this one right behind "Gone Away" as one of the finest on the album. Again, they make good use of the "Whoas" and "Yeahs," an added bonus to an already quality tune.

"Change the World" is a typical Offspring album closer. Hard to explain, but you might know what I'm talking about. Anyway, it's a good one.

It's too bad this was the follow-up to "Smash" because I think a lot of people were let down. While it may not be quite the hit-producer, "Ixnay on the Hombre" is still an excellent listen with songs covering a wide range of topics, both fun and serious. This is a must-have for any Offspring fan.



My other Offspring reviews:
Smash
Americana
Conspiracy of One