Ixnay on the Hombre
Gone Away changes the terms of Ixnay on the Hombre. Dexter Holland usually delivers his words as though volume might solve the problem. Here, his strained voice makes grief sound impossible to manage. The song has a broad, heavy arrangement, but its emotional weight comes from the discomfort in the singing.
That seriousness is one part of an album with several competing personalities. The spoken Disclaimer starts proceedings with a joke, and The Meaning of Life quickly supplies the fast guitars and assertive chorus. It is a strong beginning because the melody has enough shape to match the insistence of the performance.
All I Want makes the same argument with fewer parts. The song races through its demand for independence, giving the album an efficient burst of energy. I Choose is more playful and rhythmically flexible, with a guitar figure that keeps the song moving even when Holland leaves more space between lines. These two tracks show how much the band can gain by varying the size of the frame.
There are weaker combinations. Me & My Old Lady has an unusual swagger, though its joke becomes less interesting than the arrangement around it. Leave It Behind is brief enough to pass quickly but lacks a defining idea. The Offspring's sharp vocal sound can also make a merely serviceable tune seem more demanding than it deserves.
The final stretch brings the focus back. Amazed lets Holland use a more controlled delivery, and the sense of disappointment becomes stronger for it. Change the World closes with a larger, angry statement, supported by playing that gives the frustration somewhere to go.
The album does not achieve a perfect balance between sarcasm, speed and sadness. Its appeal lies partly in that restlessness. When the writing connects, The Offspring can sound funny, bruised or openly furious without losing their identity. Ixnay on the Hombre is uneven in detail, but its strongest songs have more emotional range than the opening joke prepares you for.
