As much as I loved it as a kid (and still do under certain aspects) I see this album as the beginning of the Offspring's decline: they were looking for a new sound and stumbled upon commercial success with Pretty Fly and Why Don't You Get A Job and tried to go in that direction. The following albums were attempts, some more successful than others, to get that MTV airing time again, which made them lose their original hardcore punk fanbase and left them with no clear direction.
Good album. The first 3 songs take me way back on a trip down nostalgia lane.
Good album, maybe even the first I ever bought for myself. The Kid's Aren't Alright is dark.
First CD I've ever bought. Holds a very special place.
First album I bought; it was a cassette. Still a banger of an album.
Likewise. I was so pumped to see there was no parental advisory but still nervous checking out.
I liked it then, still do.
I got a portable CD player in high school, this CD and enema of the state never left my side. this CD would be in my top 10 all time, beginning to end.
Staring At The Sun was part of my inspiration to learn guitar. 26 years later I still play and still know that song.
Pay the Man is one of their best songs. Solid album; probably rank it as third favorite behind smash & ixnay
This was my gateway to punk rock back in the day and still holds a special place in my heart. Love the album from start to finish.
I can still hear the "Welcome... to... Ameri... Cana..."
Kids aren't alright still hits hard, Pay the Man is also on my regular playlist.
... please ... make your selection followed by the ... pound sign... now:
DUN dundundundundun ....
Yeah - etched into my memory for all time.
It's not as good as Ixnay or Smash, but it's a solid album
My thoughts exactly. Not Offspring's best, but still pretty good.
Gunter glieben glauchen globen
One of my favorite albums of all time. It introduced me to a lot of really heavy topics as a kid. Also had a banger of a secret song hidden in the end, too.
when the truth walks away, everybody stays cause the truth about the world is that crime does pay.
Shit, I forgot all about Have You Ever. I think I needed to hear this one today, too. Thank you and OP for making me remember this great album today. :)
I loved all the secret songs on CDs from the late 90s to early 00s.
I'll just leave this here.
Man I hate you, didn't need this rabbit hole the first day of the frickin year.
I was always a little annoyed with it because while it's a great album, I was in love with Pack Up The Cats by Local H which had come out in September 1998 and this would come out in November 1998.
Local H's "All the Kids are All Right" would unfortunately be overshadowed by Offspring's somewhat-similarly-titled "The Kids Aren't Alright." Both great songs, but one is from ~~a~~ my no-name band that holds a special place in my heart.
Local H is not a "no-name band". You take that back!
Ok, they're my no-name band because I was the only person who ever seemed to know who the hell they were!
...but I grew up in Washington so non-local acts were really overshadowed by the sheer number of bands from the greater Seattle area, so maybe that's why. Hell, Mudhoney even came and played a show in my shitty small town because Steve Turner's nephew lived there (and drove his old car).
I've seen them live all over the East Coast probably 10 times. love all their stuff.
I can't hear a single song off it without remembering the smell of the cd booklet.
I don't know if they used a weird ink or what. But that thing was wildly overpowered compared to any other CD.
The music is awesome obviously, but just seeing the picture of the CD made me remember that ridiculous smell
Edit:
Or was it because the CD had a pie on it?
I'm taking people up voting me that I wasn't the only one. I want to find out if this was a thing now.
Yes, I remember the smell! That booklet 100% had a unique smell to it for some reason.
Sounds exactly like every other generic southern California pop punk band.
i played this album before every football practice. love this record. also shocked a guy when he asked me what my favorite offspring song was and i said pay the man
Pay The Man is one of their best
definitely, the dude just never heard anyone say that as their favorite
Came out in my freshman year of high school. Friend was signed up to one of those services that mailed you CDs monthly at a discounted price. We spent that whole summer listening to this album. I'm not even an Offspring fan, just have fond memories of this album.
Great album, disturbing imagery. I know bugs are necessary within the food chain, but by god are they gross as shit
Used to listen to it on the bus ride to school with my discman. Agree that Pay the Man is a great track
It's their best album and I usually skip Pretty Fly
My man today is your lucky day since you get to listen to Smash for the first time.
I think that Ixnay was their last "Raw" album, Americana was great but it was their first mainsteam album. They are both 10/10 but for different reasons.
Pretty fly for a white guy is so goofy but so am I so I can't not love it
Plus if it wasn't for this song we wouldn't have gotten this one
I love Weird Al and I didn't know this song existed.
One of the first albums I bought, and I listened the hell out of it.
All my favourite anime edits from back in the day used either the offspring or rage against. I love this album for the nostalgia it holds for me. Can't get as excited as I was listening to it the first time but still banger.
I loved everything they did on Epitaph.
That's it, that's what I think of this.
The only CD I owned which needed a few tries before it played on a shitty Discman connected to an old Stereo.
I had Ignition and Smash but for some reason stopped listening to them, so I’ve never heard this (or Ixnay which people seem to also like). Thanks for reminding me about Offspring, will give it a listen soon!
I recently was gifted this album, their songs on the radio suck and the rest of this CD is genuinely basic and crap.
I gave it to my coworker.