In with the Out Crowd (CD - 2006)

After having been known as a punk-ska outfit for most of the 1990s, by the advent of 2006's IN WITH THE OUT CROWD Less Than Jake had long been chafing at the genre's restrictions. This cohesive set uses the band's ska roots as the jumping-off point for a series of forays into contemporary pop, notably on the polished "In-Dependence Day" and the big-country rock of "The Rest of My Life." Lyrically, a sense of disillusionment with the outside world hangs over the album, most apparently on songs like "Soundtrack of My Life" and "Overrated"; but on the perfectly formed, breakneck "Mostly Memories," post-teen angst and the band's punky musical energy combine in a perfect storm of dynamic pop. minimize