By Cole Butler
Round Table reporter

Overview:

Less Than Jake’s breakthrough album, “Anthem”, is an overall success. The album leans more toward the pop punk genre while keeping in touch with their ska roots. Songs such as, “Welcome to the New South” and “She’s Gonna Break Soon” are more pop punk because of the heavy distortion, power chords, and fast tempos. On the other hand, song such as, “Motown Never Sounded so Good” and “The Science of Selling Yourself Short” are more upbeat and ska with fast, apathetic vocals. It spent 12 weeks on the billboard 200 reaching their highest rank to date at number 45.

Influences:

The album was meant to be a new sound with being cleaner cut with fewer horns and more heavy distortion. Vocalists Dan Demakes and Roger Manganelli, stepped the singing up a notch and executed many more harmonies throughout the album. Manganelli and Demakes also based most of the lyrics more on real life events and apathy than on previous albums such as Pezcore or Losing Streak.

Sound:

The album was recorded in Piety Street Recording in New Orleans and Morning View Studio in Malibu. The band focused less on horns and more on guitar to create a fuller sound that compliments the vocals. Songs such as, “Escape from the A-bomb House” are primarily guitar with both vocalists belting out depressing lyrics of family feuds and escaping from a broken life at home. While songs like “Plastic Cup Politics” are filled with blaring brass instruments and Manganelli’s unmistakable high pitched vocals.

Comparison to last album:

This album compared to “Borders & Boundaries” is much better. Their previous album was a bridge between the rough cut ska beginnings of the band and their new pop punk albums which are much more professional.

Final Say:

This album is great all the way through. It will be a difficult one for the band to top. Their new sound can appeal to a wider fan base but is still good for the true LTJ fans. It’s one of my favorite albums of all time and I enjoy every track on it.

9.5/10