Customer Reviews

Goodbye Blue & White

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Less Than Jake fans should love this compilation, as it encompasses the band's entire career, except maybe for the really gritty earliest days. They excel at covers, and since a lot of their own work on this CD appeared on 7"s or b-sides or whatever (the unspoken symbol of that which lacks a certain quality), none of it is quite as rambunctious, well-produced, and capable of pumping you up as the songs "I Think I Love You", "We're Not Gonna Take It", and "Teenager in Love". Another habit of theirs is remaking earlier music, such as "Jen Doesn't Like Me Anymore" and "Johnny Quest Thinks We're Sellouts" reappearing with superior recordings on Losing Streak; on GB&W there's a slew of familiar titles, from "Scott Farcas" and "Rock'n'Roll Pizzeria" to "Dopeman" and "Cheez" (shortened from the Hello Rockview track "Richard Allen George...No, It's Just Cheez"), but aside from "Dopeman", most of them sound more primitive than their official versions, which is a bit disappointing. As for "Dopeman", I've always considered it an anomaly of LTJ's. The most mellow of all their songs, it's practically hip-hop, so the potential for fans of this furiously upbeat punk troupe to dislike it is high. Even I used to think it was weak, but after a while you get used to it, and the remix presented here is actually better than the original, I think. The background drum beat is accentuated, for one thing, making the overall rhythm catchier than before. A number of other selections fail to leave their mark; I'm thinking of "Descant", "Evil Has No Boundaries", "Son of Dick", and "Anti-Christ". In most cases it's the vocals, which are less refined than the best of Less Than Jake (which, I think, is represented by the supreme Hello Rockview; none of their other albums even come close). Thankfully, these hints of mediocrity are overshadowed by perennial tunes "Freeze Frame", "Your Love", "Losing Streak", "Modern World", and "Mixology of Tom Collins", any of which would be welcome alongside the tracks on their full-length albums. "Yo-Yo Ninja Boy" has a stupid title, and the lyrics ain't a big improvement, but it's kinda fun, albeit short (like most everything on this CD, I should warn, it's less than 2 minutes long). But best of all, even better than "I Think I Love You", are the final 3 tracks, each a brief advertisement-related ditty that stray from the usual LTJ formula. "Mud" is a rushed a-capella, while "Hamburger Hop" sounds just like some '50s radio commercial, and "KROQ Song" is a catchy, self-effacing little jingle. Creative endeavors like these really distinguish a band, and don't receive nearly the attention they deserve. I imagine the majority of bands have music recorded in all sorts of venues and circumstances beyond album and concert formats, and Goodbye Blue and White is an ingenious shout-out to all those lost, forgotten, or otherwise uncredited pieces in the resume puzzle. LTJ aren't the first ones to compile previously released stuff (for the sake of cashing in on their eventual success, obviously), but if more artists had copious and diverse comp records like this one, instead of small-sized EPs littered with their worst junk and fit only for the most die-hard collector, maybe the waters of music consumerism would be safer to navigate

1) I Think I Love You (A)
2) Losing Streak (B)
3) Mixology of Tom Collins (B)
4) Modern World (B)
5) Yo-Yo Ninja Boy (B-)
6) Dopeman (remix) (B)
7) Rock-n-Roll Pizzeria (7" version) (B-)
8) We're Not Gonna Take It (B+)
9) Son of Dick (C+)
10) Teenager in Love (B+)
11) Freeze Frame (B+)
12) Your Love (B+)
13) Scott Farcas Takes it on the Chin (7" version) (B)
14) Descant (B-)
15) Evil Has No Boundaries (B-)
16) Anti-Christ (B-)
17) Cheez (7" version) (B-)
18) Mississippi Mud (A-)
19) Hamburger Hop (B+)
20) KROQ Song (B+)

This album is where you'll find most of Less Than Jakes hard to find songs all in one album...at least most of them. Also, you'll find most of where they get their modern style now from back in the day. Personally, I like most of their older albums like this one where Vinnie usually throws out songs with gut lyrics that just talk about how life really is. You could almost say that this song has lots of life lessons. But if you're looking for any kind of counceling, go to a counceler. But it's cool to throw this album in your CD player and listen away your problems sometimes. Or just to scream and jump around and while listening to some good 'ol LTJ. It's pretty cool. Basically it holds much of the same styles they played in "losers & kings."
You'll find about half and half with the ska vs. ska-core. Meaning, if you you've heard of both albums losing streak and pezcore, it's kind of a mix of both of them.
So whether you're new to LTJ or a long time loyal fan. Or just looking for some good face paced ska-core with a little bit of wisdom behind it, this is perhaps your album to purchase.

I have to say this is one of LTJ's best. A note to the guy a couple of reiews below me: You say the tracklisting was wrong on yours. You're right and you're wrong. They had two pressings of this CD. They changed the tracklisting during the second pressing.

For a collection of hard to find songs, this is a pretty good collection. Unlike B is for b-sides, where the band took album out takes, gave them some polished production, and passed them off as a sort of a whole new album, this is the sort of collection that mostly serves as an interesting view into some of the band's more raw material, as well as giving several great tracks without really flowing as a whole album. overall I'd recomend this cd to someone who has heard all of thier albums and wants something more.
On that note, there are a lot of great songs on here. especially the covers of we're not gonna take it, I think I love you, and teenager in love. The demos of evil has no boundaries, and anti-christ are very interesting because they show ltj playing thrash metal with horns(?). But probably the best song on here for me is the dopeman remix, which I actually think is better than the original losing streak version(it was my least favorite song of that album even thought it was a decent song). So on a closing note, if you want some of the band's rawest material from so-far-most creative period (Much like pezcore in a way), then this is a great buy for you

(p.s. and as far as the guy whose cd played out of order, I think you just got a messed up copy, because mine plays fine.)

This CD is great for true Less Than Jake fans. It may not be the best for those who only like some of their songs, because it is mainly a compilation of covers, rare songs not put on other albums, or 7" versions of some popular songs. It's not a super polished record or anything like that is all I'm saying, but it's good. If you but it for no other reason just get it for the booklet, it has all these band member memories of the "blue and white," their old tour van, which broke down, hence the name, "Goodbye Blue and White." It's cool, you should probably get it if you want to be cool too.

As a tribute to LTJ's blue and white van that carted them to many shows and ended up catching fire on the way to a PEZ convention, Less Than Jake put out this collection of old recordings and covers. Basically, it's a bunch of songs that used to be available only on vinyl, but those discs became rare and are collectable. Because they are so hard to find, the band put the songs out on this CD. I'm a huge fan and love this CD. If you're a Less Than Jake fan or like punk, buy it. You won't be disappointed.

LTJ is most definitely a good band-- there's no doubt about it. However, "Goodbye Blue and White" is sort of just a simple paste together of previously-released songs, and a few short and simple new ones.

Definetly one of LTJ's best! It is very ska and has a bunch of good songs on it. Some of my personal favorites include,"I think I love you","Son of Dick","Rock n Roll pizzeria","Cheez",and "We're not gonna take it". This CD has a few cover songs on it and is pure Less than Jake! It is so awesome!

this is a good cd. It's a compalation of the stuff not good enough for an album. SO technacly it's a worst of album. But it has some great songs and a awsome cover of i think i love you. It's a good cd but it's not for the average joe of a less than jake fan. If u are buying 1 cd make it hello rockview becasue that was the very high point of their career.

This is one of the best Cds i ever heard,true genius. So far it has got to Less Than Jake's best album, its is awesome to hear the old collections from Less Than Jake and bring them to life. There is no way i could ever see this record being falted it is a true master piece, if you are new to less Than Jake i strongly recomomend to buy this one i am sure it will take your fancy very quickly and you will find your self buying all of ther records, if you are like me and have been a LTJ fan for while, buy it! and you will be shocked because you thought like me they couldn't get any better, well they have.