Absolution for Idiots and Addicts - EP

Album Review

Absolution for Idiots and Addicts arrived a month before Less Than Jake dropped In with the Out Crowd, their official follow-up to 2003's Anthem (since B Is for B-Sides was really just a spare track roundup from Anthem's sessions). The band has long assembled poppy, ska-infused punk that was largely skank-along-able and fun even if the songs were often based around lyrics of disillusionment and cynicism. It hurts to say so, but besides an overwhelming weariness, not so much satisfaction appears on this release. Things certainly could have been worse, but they also could have been way better. "Overrated (Everything Is)" has zero discernible horns, a fact that would be gladly overlooked due to the song's catchy nature, except that the catchiness is in that mall-punk disposable sort of way (think along the lines of a better "She's Gonna Break Soon"). The next two songs are EP-only additions, the other tracks slated to appear on the aforementioned full-length. Bringing back the horns, "Negative Sides of Optimistic Eyes" (on which Roger takes over singing duties) and "We, the Uninspired" sound more like classic Less Than Jake although just a little less fun, the latter running on bouncy, underlying riffs that frustratingly never reach that level of BAM! hinted at throughout. The polished closing track, co-written with Mark Hoppus, is weirdly the most memorable, since on paper the addition of synths under an acoustic guitar pretty much screams hardcore fan-alienation. Somehow, though, the introspective song works. Starting the EP off is the line "Maybe I'm jaded and bored, always looking for more," and that's exactly how some listeners are likely to feel at the completion of Absolution's four songs. Maybe the EP is being looked at too critically, but it's only because after more than ten years together, faith says that Less Than Jake still has more left in them. Too bad this EP isn't the most encouraging.