Customer Reviews

Ixnay on the Hombre

5 star:		(168)
4 star:		(36)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

So The Offspring, in 1997, tryed to improve on their 8 million-selling 1994 effort, Smash. People say Ixnay On The Hombre couldn't live up to Smash.

They were dead wrong. Ixnay On The Hombre is the best CD by The Offspring, and I think it's because there's more variety. Don't get me wrong, Smash is another great 5-star CD (And I don't give those easily) but Ixnay's better. You never hear the same thing.

Disclaimer: Guy whose voice sounds like it belongs in Monty Python explaining how offensive the record is. Funny too.

The Meaning of Life: Pure punk. The kind of stuff you find on their self-titled album.

Mota: The kind of spin-off punk that make The Offspring so damn good. Shows the life of the junkie.

Me & My Old Lady: Like "Pay The Man" in some respects, filled with the cynicism The Offspring is known for.

Cool To Hate: There are people like this out there, and Dexter Holland gives us a 100% accurate impression of what they're like. (I know, people. Believe me, I know)

Leave It Behind: Ugh. This song is like the blemish on the face of Heather Graham.

Gone Away: Offspring songs with pain cannot match any other. This is one of the best examples.

I Choose: I can't think of another Offspring song that makes you clap your hands. Imagine Blink 182 at a Moderato tempo and this is it. Not that bad, either.

Intermission: You have to wonder this person's doing at "Intermission." Taking a leak? Injecting? We'll never know.

All I Want: Short and sweet. Fast and raging, this song is over before you know it and gives you the feeling you get when you hear Limp Bizkit's "Break Stuff."

Way Down The Line: The Offspring's 3rd best song. (I believe the other two are Smash and The Kids Aren't Alright) Will we end up like our parents? As much as we hate the thought, we probably will.....

Don't Pick It Up: Like "What Happened To You?" on Smash. Thinking of dabbling in a little ska, are we Dexter?

Amazed: The Offspring's best slow song. This one triggers really sad emotions that can only be matched by No Doubt's "Don't Speak."

Change The World: A great intro on this song. Ultra-Offspring cynicism on this one. (Wait for a hidden line at the end of the CD)

So, if you've listened to ANY type of punk at all and liked it, or if you've heard ANYTHING by The Offspring at all and liked it (Except "Why Don't You Get A Job?") buy this. If you like No Doubt, Korn, pre-14:59 Sugar Ray, or Smash Mouth's "Fush Yu Mang" you will LOVE this and you must buy it immeadiately.

I've only given 5-stars to two other albums, by the way. This one really earned it.

When I'm listening to this perfect album I sure am. A while ago, I thought Smash was the best Offspring CD. Boy was I wrong! This album is a heck of alot better than Smash. It shows raw power and talent, meaningful lyrics in a world where good lyrics are hard to find, and the Offspring have a style all their own. Not too poppy as with, say Blink 182, or not too hardcore, for example Pennywise. This album contains may of their hits, such as "All I Want" and "Gone Away", both of which are AMAZING songs. But to tell you the truth, every song is good. The stand-outs on this album are "The Meaning Of Life", a raw, blazingly fast punk song, "Gone Away", one of the most powerful songs since Pearl Jam's "Black", "Way Down The Line", a great song that asks the question, will we end up like our parents?, and "Cool To Hate", a funny song about somebody who hates EVERYTHING from jocks to Doc Martens. The only sub-par cut on this record is "Don't Pick It Up", a ska-ish song minus the brass section. It just doesn't fit in with the whole feeling of the album. If you are a newer Offspring fan, and have picked up Conspiracy Of One, you will find that this album VERY closely resembles it. The only thing is, nothing matches this album. Perfection. Pure perfection. Do yourself a favor; grab a few dollars and go pick up this totally under-rated gem. Y ou will not be dissapointed

1st of all, anyone who says this is a bad album, a disapointing album, that it could've been better or any other related nonsense can stick it up their arse. This is a masterpiece. I picked it up about 6 months ago (to be honest the reason was because I liked the cover). As soon as I got back to my Dad's house, I put the CD on and the 1st thing that came to my mind was "it's got some cool songs but it's not as good as smash"...how wrong I was. A few weeks later I decided to listen to it again, as if to give it a 2nd chance. I was blown away, I realized that this was a masterpiece, and the offspring's best album (smash now comes in at 2nd, conspiracy of 1 is 3rd, Americana is 4th, Ignition is only just beaten to 4th- coming in at 5th, and the debut comes in at 6th, sorry guys but the lyrics are pretty stupid, beheaded maked me laugh though).

Anyway, now onto the content:

1-disclaimer: A perfect introduction, which is hylarious upon 1st listen, and still make me chuckle. It's not a proper song but I'll give it 9/10

2-the meaning of life: great song to sing along to, and the lyrics are funny yet serious and meaningful all at once, the guitar riffs in this are pretty cool too. 9/10

3-mota: a song about drug abuse (not a good topic) but I can't deny that it's a good song. It opens up with a marching drum beat, and is then joined by guitars after the band proclaim "MOTA!" 8/10

4-me and my old lady: I'd have to say that this is probably my least favourite song, but that doesn't nessisarily mean it sucks, it's still a good song. It's rather experimental, and it's not something I'd expect to hear from the offspring. 8/10

5-cool to hate: my favourite song on the album, about hating everyone and everything (again, not a nice topic, but that song kicks arse). 10/10

6-leave it behind: about holding a grudge, really cool song, and I like the tempo transitions. 10/10

7-gone away: this is an amazing song, but it's also slightly depressing, you can really feel the pain when listening to this song. 10/10

8-I choose: This is the kinda song that you can listen to and just feel good, funny lyrics and cool guitars. 10/10

9-intermission: OK, I said me and my old lady was my least favourite song, but this is worse, it's kinda funny the 1st time, but it's really just filler. 5/10

10-All I want: another classic, fast paced and energetic, that's all I need to say. 10/10

11-way down the line: great song about growing up and become exact replicas of your parents. 10/10

12-don't pick it up: short, funny song about not taking chances with risky things. 9/10

13-amazed: I'm not really sure how to describe this song, but it's slightly slow, with a sad presence. 10/10

14-change the world: cool song that's bassically about selfish liars. 10/10

overall: 129/140

I'd recomend this to anyone who likes the offspring. And if you're going out to buy your 1st offspring album, this should be the one. I'd also recomend this to any punk fans, and anyone who likes fast paced music,as well as rock fans and even metal and alternative fans.

P.S: I am not a huge punk fan, but the offspring are one of the best punk bands, no, one of the best bands, out there.

have a nice day

Face it, Offspring isn't exactly Bad Religion, Black Flag, or Dead Kennedys. But with this album beginning with a PSA by Jello Biafra (DK), you know that they must have something special going on. This is my favorite Offspring CD, and I really think it is a cut above their other albums. They take the songs here a bit more seriously, lyrically; balanced with a wonderful musical intensity that surpasses "Smash", and wasn't quite matched in "Americana".

The highlight of the CD for me was "Gone Away", a song about loss. This song is one of the most personal and powerful songs ever written. I saw them perform it live at the Benefit for Dennis Dennal (of Social Distortion), and saw several people in the crowd whipping the tears from their eyes. The CD is worth it for this song alone... in fact, that song is why I bought the CD. To my pleasure, not only was the rest of the CD not a disappointment, but it surpassed all expectation.

I am really bothered by the weakness of music lately, and it's nice to have Offspring around. Though I am a lover of the harder/political punk, it's nice to see a band that doesn't need to have an issue 100% of the time. The Offspring are having fun. Yet, in that fun the "punk rock social consciousness" message still gets through in a subtle way...once you dig deeper, past the radio hits. This applies to all of their CDs. Though Offspring is a lighter punk band, they aren't weak (a weak band is Blink182...which I can't believe are even allowed to pretend that they're punk...more like Backstreet Boys meet Weezer, but I digress...).

If you like this CD, may I please recommend that for your next step into the punk world, try "Stranger than Fiction" and "Generator" by Bad Religion. If you like those, then "Get Some, Go Again" and "Life Time" by the Rollins Band. Once you have these CD's you'll know where to go from there. ("Fruits and Veggies" by Dead Kennedys and "Damaged" by Black Flag)

This is really the best of Offspring. It's too bad that it didn't get as much recognition as Smash, because it is just as good if not better. One of the really interesting things about Ixnay is how it compares to Americana. You can pair up songs from the two albums based on musical style. For example, "Me and My Old Lady" has a lot of similarities to Americana's "Pay the Man". "Leave it Behind" has the same feel to it as "No Brakes". "Cool to Hate" compares well to "Staring at the Sun". However, Ixnay also has some of Offspring's most unique songs ever. "Amazed" is a somewhat slower song, but unlike regular slow-ish songs, "Amazed" has tremendous power and strength both in the drums and in Dexter's voice, especially on the chorus. "Don't Pick it Up" has more of a ska feel to it that can't be found in any other Offspring songs. Anyway, if you are a fan of The Offspring, this cd is cool to compare to their other stuff. If you are just a punk fan looking for an addition to your collection, this is a good representation of The Offspring's best work ever.

Each Offspring album is a bit different in its own small way. Although, this is the one probably most like their breakthrough masterpiece Smash. If you enjoyed Smash a lot, like I did, then this should be the next in line for you to try out. Not saying that their newer stuff is somehow not as good, they just have a slightly different sound that the earlier two. This follow up just shows how The Offspring are keeping their punk rock style sound strong with each release. It's also a really good follow up album. My favorite tracks are probably "Gone Away", "I Choose", "Amazed", and "Me & My Old Lady". Here's everything else rated...

2. The Meaning Of Life - 9.5/10
3. Mota - 9/10
4. Me & My Old Lady - 10/10
5. Cool To Hate - 10/10
6. Leave It Behind - 8.5/10
7. Gone Away - 10/10
8. I Choose - 10/10
10. All I Want - 9/10
11. Way Down The Line - 7.5/10
12. Don't Pick It Up - 9/10
13. Amazed - 10/10
14. Change The World - 10/10

Overall: 93% A-

It's just another solid release from The Offspring. If you enjoyed Smash you will probably enjoy this as well. It's just another good release by a pretty awesome punk rock band.

I'll be honest. The Offspring is one of my favorite bands despite there tendency to produce sub par cd's. Not the case here. There's just something about that melodic punk soft core metal sound combined with pessimistic yet somehow reasuring and insightful lyrics that sounds good to my ears. It seems that compared to today's other punk offerings such as Green Day and Blink 182 the Offspring just sound better. Instead of trying to conform with popular culture or venture away from it the Offspring just kind of mix all different forms of popular rock music together to form a interesting yet supprisingly hip sound. "The Meaning of Life" is a great pure song filled with smart lyrics and and a great beat. "Gone Away" is deeper than the other songs on the cd but is also delivers the best beat and the most thoughtful lyrics. "Cool to Hate" is an awesome song filled with amusingly pessimistic lyrics. "Mota" deals with drugs the offspring way childishly yet brilliantly. "Way Down the Line" is a cool song that deals with every teenagers worst fear becoming there parents. But by far the best song on the album is "I Choose" it has the best lyrics, beat, and overall appeal of any song on the cd. Ixnay On The Hombre is an awesome cd and is definitly in my top 20 cd's of all time. If you just want to buy an Offspring cd this is your best bet.

The Offspring took a bit of heat for signing to a major label in 96 after the breakthrough success of their genius album "Smash".But the truth is, they didnt lose any edge at that point (the loss of edge came after this album with that dissapointing "Americana" album).This album may not be as good as Smash or Ignition, but the songs have more meaning behind them.There is true pain expressed in the lyrics of "Gone Away".The other great songs on this album have lyrics about being yourself and being an individual."All I Want","Leave It Behind","The Meaning of Life", and "Amazed" are great songs with great lyrics.Those songs are some of Offspring's best ever.The songs talk about teenage problems and the words on this album and the other two great Offspring albums "Smash" and "Ignition" can really help you deal with your problems.I highly recommend that you get this album and the other two that i mentioned, all of them are extremely good albums.But however dont be fooled, the albums "The Offspring" and "Americana" are nothing compared to these other three albums.Those two albums lack meaningful lyrics and good punk rock music.So just buy "Smash", "Ignition", and "Ixnay on the Hombre" because they are the best of the best.

Okay. So, two years ago, one of my friends told be about these guys. THe only song I really knew by them was "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)", along with everyone else on the planet. He raved and raved about this album after explaining them to me, about how awesome it was. So, out of curiousity, I bought it without even previewing it. All I can say is this: Wow. Punk rock and pop-punk just wouldn't be the same without this album. It opens with a hilarious intro, titled "Disclaimer". Jello Biafra is featured on the vocals. That made me happy, since Dead Kennedys were (and still are) one of my favorite bands. Then, "Meaning Of Life" came in and I was headbanging like a maniac. I made myself dizzy, in fact. "Mota" brings some more laughs, while "Me & My Old Lady" pleases my inner metal fan. "Cool To Hate" is one of the most sarcastic punk songs ever made. It's also one of the best. Then we get to the only bad track on the CD, "Leave It Behind". Boring and repeatitive. "Gone Away" comes in afterwards. This song is truly amazing. It's really quite sad, but the lyrics are great. And then, to lift your mood, "I Choose" begins to play. I LOVE that song. In fact, it's my favorite one on the album. Great sing-along tune and moodlifter. The best pop-punk song ever made, hands down. Then we get a pointless intermission, and then the fast & furious "All I Want". This is a very punky song that kinda reminds me of Bad Religion. It's not one of my favorites, but it's pretty good. "Way Down The Line" is an interesting song about kids being like their parents. For some reason, it reminds me of "The Kids Aren't Alright" on the "Americana" album, but it's all good. One of the highlights on the CD. "Don't Pick It Up" is a humorous, but pointless, ska song about people that eat things off the ground. Love it. "Amazed" is next. This is very different from most Offspring songs. It's a slow, hard rock song. Though it does drag on a little, it's a great track. "Change The World" is the final track on the album, and it sounds alot like "Genocide" from the "Smash" album. It's an awesome song, though and a perfect ender. All in all, this is a great punk/pop-punk CD. Highly reccomended for anyone just getting into The Offspring!

which is saying a lot, because they are all amazing..

1. Disclaimer: intro
2. Meaning of Life: 10/10 like many of their 'first songs' its amazing but loses a bit of your interest after a while
3. Mota: 10/10 good moral to it, and an awesome chorus
4. Me & My Old Lady: 8/10 rather perverted, but catchy.. i still think the album coudlve done without it, though
5. Cool To Hate: 9/10 fast, catchy angry anthem
6. Leave It Behind: 10/10 cool song about holding grudges.. also, to any guitar player out there, this song is really easy and fun to play
7. Gone Away: 10/10 if youve lost anyone important in your life, this song will be your anthem for a while..
8. I Choose: 8/10 a little too poppy for me..
9. Intermission: 8/10 call it a filler, call it a joke.. its pretty unique.. makes a good buildup to the next song..
10. All I Want: 10/10 really fast punk-anthem
11. Way Down The Line: 9/10 while it gets old after a while, its a pretty cool song with good meaning
12. Don't Pick It Up: 9/10 honestly, ive never liked 'joke songs' but for some reason i enjoy listening this song.. probably because, unlike most 'jokes' its more than a minute..
13. Amazed: 9/10 slowest song, but still manages to be heavy and has a really cool chorus
14. Change The World: 11/10 best song on here.. really cool meaning, catchy intro (fun to play, too). plus, as a sign of the energy in this song, i have a habit of cranking the volume after the bridge.. raelly cool chorus, amazingly written.. whats not to like? great way to end the cd!
(extra track): an old guy saying something about heavy metal.. uh.. not even going to bother rating it