The Offspring,
Conspiracy Of One (Sony Music)

If there's one thing you notice about the Offspring, purveyors of punk since the mid-'90s, it's their trademark sound. When Smash debuted in '94, the hit tune that led to 11 million copies being sold was "Come Out and Play (Keep 'em Separated)." It featured the single string, Middle Eastern-flavored riff on the guitar, razor-fast rhythm guitar work, and frontman Dexter Holland's strained vocals. Four years later the boys did it again, this time with a hilarious sendup of white wannabee hip-hoppers, with "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)" on Americana.

The band's latest, Conspiracy of One continues the saga of the boys, whose roots go back to '84, when Holland and bass player Greg Kriesel got things in motion after a Social Distortion show.

Though the band grew up in a punk environment, and retains elements of punk (fast numbers, fast guitars, etc.), they've showed the ability to veer off the punk course, using Latin or hip-hop influences when needed. They've also evinced a keen social awareness of the world, and dealt with it in a humorous way, as with "Pretty Fly."

And while the music and musicianship on Conspiracy is sharper than a new set of Ginsu knives, the lyrics have a latent teen depression to them. No worries for fans and the faithful, as the disc has no trouble kicking like a government mule.

"Come Out Swinging," the opener, begins fast and furious, slowing down momentarily so the listener can catch up, before renewing its vigor to the end. "Original Prankster" continues the Latin influence in part, hijacking a sample from War's "Low Rider," which is muted enough not to be noticed unless someone told you it was there. And about the closest thing to a punk ballad is found with "Want You Bad," done Offspring style, which is fast, and with plenty of chunking guitars.

Yet, unfortunately, there's no equivalent of "Pretty Fly" on the disc, and what you find instead are songs about busted relationships, stalkers, petty thieves and the like. The opening lines from "One Fine Day," for example, moan, "If I had a perfect day, I would have it start this way, open up the fridge and have a tall boy, yeah." Maybe this philosophy sells to teens and twenty-somethings, but after they raised the bar with "Pretty Fly," you'd expect more. Well, maybe you wouldn't, but I would.

By Bill Ribas, from NY Rock - November, 2000