Days Go By

The Offspring | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 26, 2012)
• Original Release Date: 2012
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Columbia
• ASIN: B007Y6OZE0
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (91 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #20,658 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

2012 release, the ninth studio album from the Orange County Punk band. Produced by Bob Rock, Days Go By is their first album in four years, following the release of Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace in 2008. The writing and recording process spanned three years and recording studios in Hawaii and California and was finished in March 2012.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Offspring are not finished July 9, 2012

By jimbo 3000

Format:Audio CD

I own all Offspring albums, and love them all. But all albums back to and including Conspiracy of One have been a little more hit or miss. The latest, "Days Go By" is no different. But for me, the highs are higher and more plentiful than every other post "classic era" album.

1. The Future Is Now: It bothers me a little how similar this sounds to Rise Against - Savior. But I enjoy it more than that song, and it is a solid, high-powered opener for the album. (8.5/10)
2. Secrets From the Underground: Nothing spectacular, but good lyrics, and another solid effort. (8.5/10)
3. Days Go By: Mid-tempo rock song that can sound a little generic at times (much like Can't Repeat from their greatest hits album). Okay choice as a first single, but not as good as Hammerhead or You're Gonna Go Far, Kid from Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace. (7.5/10)
4. Turning Into You: We finally get something a little closer to the classic punk sound, complete with the double-time drum beat. Reminds me of Conspiracy of One album sound. (9/10)
5. Hurting As One: Now we're talking. As others have said this could've been on Smash/Ixnay/Americana and not sounded out of place at all. Classic driving punk. (10/10)
6. Cruisin' California: As has been noted in other review, this is a very divisive song. The first time I heard it, I was thinking "WTF is this ****? This isn't an Offspring song!" But understand that this is a joke song, and in my opinion it actually manages to be more fun and upbeat than the songs it is mocking. Not my favorite here, but a catchy tune. That said, it probably shouldn't be a single. (7.5/10)
7. All I Have Left Is You: Power ballads are not The Offspring's strong suit. Only two "slower" or "ballad-y" songs by them have reached greatness: Gone Away (Ixnay) and A Lot Like Me (RaF,RaG). This one doesn't do it for me, and won't for you either unless you liked Fix You off of RaF,RaG. (5/10)
8. O.C. Guns: This song is ridiculous. Just absurd. I laugh every time it comes on. Very far off the beaten path, but a fun song that gets stuck in my head. (7/10)
9. Dirty Magic: I may SLIGHTLY prefer the original mix, which had a dirtier (see what I did there?) sound and a faster tempo. But this re-recording is very good as well, and the modern production values do well for adding "meat" to the chorus. (8/10)
10. I Wanna Secret Family (With You): I want to like this song, but the title sounds stupid, and the content is meh as well. A little too poppy for my liking, but not awful, and not one I'd skip over. I will say it has grown on me with repeated listens. (6/10)
11. Dividing By Zero: Badass. This song could easily be at home on Ignition, if the production values were slightly downgraded. This song above all others on the album feature the band going back to their roots. (10/10)
12. Slim Pickens Does The Right Thing And Rides The Bomb To Hell: Awesome song to finish the album. Right up there with my favorite overall Offspring songs (at least for now... we'll see if that remains the case once the newness wears off). Catchy punk rock that nobody does better than The Offspring.

Overall: This is definitely their best work since Americana. Smash/Ixnay/Americana are my three favorite Offspring albums (in no particular order; I can never decide; I go back and forth). But this one as of right now slides in at a clear #4 on my list. Do I think this is a new "glory era" for Offspring starting with this record? No, but it's definitely the high point of their "past their prime" years without a doubt. This record proved that they can still get it done.

The album seems to be getting bashed by "professional" reviewers, and I haven't agreed with much of the reasoning in most of those reviews.

For the "old school" Offspring purists, who hate everything post-Americana (and may even somewhat hate Americana), this won't change your mind most likely.

But anyone who even remotely enjoyed Conspiracy, Splinter, and RaF,RaG should love this one, because it contains bits and pieces of the sound that defined the band at ALL points of their career.

Starts strong and finishes in epic fashion, with a bit of a mixed bag in between. Very solid Offspring album. They've still got it.

22 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Their aggressive punk songs, their breezy joke songs, their slow introspective songs; everything great about this band is here June 26, 2012

By A Reviewer

Format:Audio CD

The Offspring's been a band known for a long time to bring surprises and unexpected left turns to every CD they release. Even Splinter, one of their shortest and most bare-bones albums, featured the 1930s style track "When You're In Prison" and the ska jam "Worst Hangover Ever." Ixnay on the Hombre had more than its fair share of joke tracks and genre-exploring too, so I'm not sure why certain fans seem so up in arms by Days Go By branching out at times. Especially when *no* songs on here are as throwaway as the likes of When You're in Prison or Don't Pick It Up, and when Days Go By otherwise has some very consistently fast stuff reminiscent of CDs like Smash.

This one takes off like a rocket with The Future is Now and Secrets From the Underground, songs that have a real sense of energy and lyrics that embody the punk rock spirit of rebellion and change. Things slow down a little for the title track, Days Go By, a fun and nostalgic single that I think fades so well into the next song, Turning Into You, which once again cranks things up. Reminds me a bit of the band Rise Against while at the same time feeling like Trust in You off the last album, this is another cool one with an awesome bridge. The CDs first act ends with Hurting As One, which sounds like a Smash song, no questions asked.

And then we reach the mid-point, a place where there will probably be a lot of controversy among some. Cruisn' California (Bumpin in my Trunk) is clearly intended as a joke song, the Offspring likely enjoying the opportunity to spoof the zillions of California-themed party songs and it's actually pretty catchy. That said, I do think they should have left it off the album, as I just don't think it fits all that well and its inclusion is probably not worth the anger of certain fans who can't take (or won't get) the joke.

This is followed by the slow and thoughtful All I Have Left Is You, which I didn't like so much initially, (I thought the slow drum beat felt a little generic at first) but it's quickly grown on me. It's not a song that many will find to be a highlight but as a fan of the occasional slow track, such as Fix You, I think it's a good addition, especially to get to hear Dexter branch out vocally in ways that I've never heard him do before. It does pick up speed as it goes and it builds to something very cool.

OC Guns is another tongue-in-cheek track that's going to have its lovers and haters. I hated it at first but it too has grown on me. Containing everything from mariachi sounds to turntables, horns, and a whole lot of other craziness, it's definitely a mixed bag but at the same time, it's a lot of fun to jam out to. Has a cool LA flavor to it, too.

The final act of the album is more consistent. Dirty Magic follows, a remake of their famous Ignition track that sounds great. A big part of me wishes they'd instead chosen Forever and a Day to remake off that album, but Dirty Magic's a cool song and the more powerful chorus packs a punch. I Wanna Secret Family (With You) is just a fun song, with a cheery and up-beat vibe and a fast tempo. I like it. The CD then closes off with Dividing by Zero and Slim Pickens Does the Right Thing and Rides the Bomb to Hell, two more epic punk tracks that long-time fans will definitely love. Slim Pickens is a perfect way to close off the album.

All in all I think Days Go By is a pretty great CD from one of my favorite bands. It has just about everything I've liked about The Offspring making a return in some capacity. This includes their usual sense of humor in addition to the punk angst, so if you're hoping for nothing but the latter, you may want to adjust your expectations accordingly. Fans who love the fast and aggressive nature of the first act should let their guards down a little bit for a somewhat slower middle act; just enjoy the band having a good time, the fast songs return toward the end. Despite the jarring genre switches, Days Go By has enough on it to satisfy most everyone and I can't wait to hear these songs live.

I'll also add that unlike a lot of albums these days, the record label has thankfully given Days Go By a proper CD jewel case instead of a cardboard sleeve, and the always-awesome Offspring CD booklet returns with lyrics and awesome illustrations and photos. Great stuff.

18 of 23 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Bumpy Record: Fantastic Highs, Extraordinary Lows June 26, 2012

By T. A. Daniel TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Audio CD

With RISE AND FALL, RAGE AND GRACE, the Offspring attempted to harken back to their musical roots. By trying to abandon their alternative-rock trappings (CONSPIRACY OF ONE, SPLINTER) for a more punk-rock focus, fans received mixed results. Unfortunately, DAYS GO BY is another release with mixed results. The good news: it contains some of the best punk-rock that the band has released in over a decade. The bad news: the bad songs here are stupendously bad.

The Good:
There's an immediacy present here that's been missing from the past several Offspring albums (probably since SMASH). Perhaps it's the songs like "Secrets From The Underground" or "Slim Pickens Does The Right Thing And Rides the Bomb to Hell," with lyrics that deal with the current state of culture in America. Perhaps it's the opening guitar riffs of "The Future Is Now" that hit the ground running. Whatever the reason, this sounds like an earnest, honest album, with the exception of a handful of tracks. The first two tracks, ("The Future Is Now," "Secrets From The Underground,") wouldn't sound out of place on SMASH or IXNAY ON THE HOMBRE. Lead single and title track "Days Gone By," is less angry or energetic but a bit more introspective.

With 2012 being the 20th anniversary of IGNITION, the band decided to rerecord fan favorite "Dirty Magic." It seems strange that the band would cover one of their own songs; luckily, the song is given justice thanks to updates sound/mastering equipment. "Divide By Zero" harkens back to the band's earlier material once again. Clocking in at a little over 2 minutes, it's fast, and packed with melody. The final track, "Slim Pickens...", provides a grim outlook on pop culture. Influenced by the pilot of Kubrik's DR. STRANGELOVE, the Offspring are pleading for it all to burn. Rather than try to fix the creatively and morally bankrupt culture, the band asks to throw it all away to start over instead. Lyrically, it sums up the album nicely. Musically, it bookends DAYS GO BY with the same immediacy that began in "The Future Is Now." It feels like the band has been reinvigorated and reenergized.

The Bad:
DAYS GO BY shows no signs of slowing down until its midpoint: "Cruising California (Bumpin' In My Trunk)" is an abomination. Much like "Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)" was a lampoon of the times' lame mainstream rock, "Cruising California" attempts to parody current pop hits. Unfortunately, the result is a song that is ultimately not clever or witty; instead, it succumbs to the vapidity that it tries to make fun of. At only 3 and a half minutes long, it feels like an eternity. Two songs later, the ranchero-influenced "OC Guns" rears its ugly head. Marked with chessy turntables, trumpets, and braindead lyrics, it further damages the album's consistency. Again, two tracks later, "I Wanna Secret Family (With You)" showcases the same alternative-rock that influenced SPLINTER. This song, marked with plenty of "do-do-do's", feels like the band trying to write another radio-hit. These songs marr an otherwise solid album; DAYS GO BY is an album that is at its worst when the band tries to fit into mainstream music.

Overall:
This album should please both longtime fans of the Offspring and new fans alike. DAYS GO BY may be a bit frustrating because its early tracks show such great promise, but the album tries to be too many things. It tries to be an earnest homage to the bands' back catalog and make fun of modern society. The former works best; the best songs on here are played with a straight face rather than tongue-in-cheek. Compared to RISE AND FALL, the best songs here are stronger than those on their previous album, but the worst songs here are worse than those on their previous album. Standout songs to sample: "The Future Is Now," "Secrets From the Underground," and "Days Go By." These songs (the first three on the album) offer some of the best of the collection.