 conspiracy of one
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 The Offspring: Conspiracy of One CONSPIRACY OF ONE Commercial success is like Raid to a punk band's credibility and creativity -- it kills 'em dead. Pick almost any group you like: The Clash, X, Green Day, Bad Religion, whoever. They all were great in the beginning. Then they got a major-label record deal or a hit single or had a breakthrough album and, voom, faster than you can say seven-digit royalty cheque, they turned into bland, safe, pop-chart versions of their former selves. (Two exceptions that prove the rule: Nirvana, who survived by refusing to embrace fame, and The Ramones, who survived by failing to have any song that could be construed a hit.) After a while, some bands wake up and some break up. But most just settle comfortably into the rock-star rut and start churning out soundalike albums, each a slightly more faded Xerox of their last successful effort. The latest confirmed casualty of terminal rock-star syndrome is The Offspring. To be fair, they've had a chronic case since 1994, when their third album, Smash, lived up to its name, thanks to the goofy, left-field hit Come Out and Play (Keep 'Em Separated). Hey, we loved it too. Thing is, ever since they hit upon that recipe for sure-fire hit singles -- one part punky pop-metal, a twangy guitar lick, a freaky Hispanic vocal sample and a dash of funky groove -- they've been dishing 'em out like Big Macs. And like Mickey D's, they've figured out how to turn it into a global enterprise. The secret? Consistency. The Offspring's sixth album Conspiracy of One may be the slickest, most commercial album ever issued by a so-called punk band. Every hook, rhythm and riff in these dozen songs comes straight outta their own self-penned rule book. First and foremost, of course, you've got the wacky single Original Prankster, with its surf guitar, unforgettable chorus and barrio backbeats. Then you've got the stock elements that go into the rest of the familiar-sounding tracks -- your ringing punk guitars, your pogoing hardcore beats, your kooky sounds, your soaring, melodic vocals, your tales of teenage alienation and angst expertly penned by thirtysomething grad students. No real rough edges, no controversial stances, no political statements, nothing to upset the kids or their parents. Conspiracy of One is so inoffensive it could come with a Happy Meal. And do you want fries with that? Yet, for all our hypercritical kvetching, we have to hand it to The Offspring. Much like Big Macs, Schwarzenegger movies or Friends, they've become a comforting pop-culture staple we all know intimately. Formulaic or not, after you hear Original Prankster once, you'll know it by heart and be singing it the rest of the day. By any definition, that's the mark of a great pop single. Likewise, the hypercharged chorus of Come Out Swinging, the oh-whoa-oh hook of Million Miles Away, the Hooked On a Feeling "Ooga-chucka, ooga-chucka" samples stuck into Special Delivery, the metallic hip-hop refrain of Living in Chaos -- they'll all be stuck in your memory as firmly as this disc is lodged in your kids' CD player. Creative? Not really. Credible? Not with any punk fans we know. But damned if it isn't going to make a bazillion dollars. Pretty sly for some white guys. Track Listing 1. Intro By Darryl Sterdan, from "Winnipeg Sun" - November 17th, 2000 |
