Along with their trademark frantic riffing and sharp leads, there are some gentle piano touches that really blend in the whole mix, at the same time being the best thing that came off Rise And Fall. Even if Dexter Holland's lyrics aren't his most effective, this time he actually has something to say, instead of just giving a shot at arena sized laments and cheesy choruses. Both "The Future Is Now" and "Secrets From The Underground" reflect more or less the overall theme of time passing us by. The first two tracks opening Days Go By are their hardest hitting in a long time. However, despite the weak singles, the album is their most solid work since Splinter (and yeah Splinter is good). In the end, the listener won't know if this is really intended as a spoof or is just a masked attempt at a summer hit. The track itself is slightly better than such an abomination as "The Worst Hangover Ever", but coming from The Offspring is just disappointing. So now, four years later, besides the damage done by the band to their own fan base, the expectations lowered to a minimum with the aid of the first two singles released, the title track, "Days Go By" and "Cruisin' California (Bumpin' In My Trunk)", the former being the sound of a tired band and bearing a strong resemblance to Foo Fighters' "Times Like These", while the latter is another failed attempt, this time at a Katy Perry spoof.
This way, Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace, ended up as a carbon copy of each of the bands mentioned and themselves. As a result, their previous record was an attempt at a comeback by creating something big, heavy yet accessible, but they couldn't concentrate all their new influences into their own sound. There's clear evidence that major success in the mid 00s of fellow bands such as Green Day, Foo Fighters and even Coldplay left a big impact on The Offspring. Since releasing their Greatest Hits compilation, The Offspring have suffered from a lack of musical direction. Review Summary: The Offspring slowly realize that a change in sound isn't necessary, as they are at their most effective when covering their own ground.
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