Maybe life is like a ride on the freeway...

1998. The year that I became a sophomore. The year that President Clinton was impeached. The year of records being broken all over the world, as we were preparing for the new millenium, and to top it all off, the year that the Offspring would release their 5th album: Americana.

After years of trying to be a success, The Offspring would finally find success in 1994, with Smash. However, the next album, Ixnay on The Hombre, would not fare as well despite a boost in quality.

In the year 1998, a mere year after Ixnay, the Offspring would release this CD. Despite the fact that it would peak at number 2, I could not help but be rather disgusted of their lead MTV smash, Pretty Fly, which I'll review later.

The album practically screams sellout with a couple of songs; despite the fact that some of the Offsprings best material is on this CD, the album has several downfalls, which makes me suggest that you only buy this if you really like the band.

SONG 1: INTRO

5 seconds of a computerized voice. It's a waste to hear. 0/10

SONG 2: HAVE YOU EVER

This should have been the lead single, for I can think of NO ONE who has not been an example of these lyrics, saying that there are times where you only thought that you knew someone, but didn't. I can relate to these personally. Then we get to a bridge, which features more unfairness lyrics, which I feel is happening in today's world. 8/10

SONG 3: STARING AT THE SUN

This is another very interesting, but short song, about how a man won't be responsible for another person's mistakes. You have to have personal responsibility. My title of the review comes from this song. 8/10

SONG 4: PRETTY FLY (FOR A WHITE GUY)

Can you scream SELLOUT, or what. This song would get the Offspring huge, but I don't like it one bit, from the Introduction, which uses a line from Rock Of Ages by Def Leppard, to a series of jokes about a wannabe dancer. I'll admit, I laughed at the video the first time, but not anymore 2/10

SONG 5: THE KIDS AREN'T ALRIGHT

The Who had a smash called "The Kids are Alright", and the Offspring, who are all from California, use this title to create a fantastic choice for the 3rd single. You can't help but wonder, many children are wasting their lives away right now, and this song makes you think "All right. Thank goodness I'm not in this situation." 10/10

SONG 6: FEELINGS

A pure punk anthem from their older days, but for some odd reason, I don't feel the catchiness of old classics like Bad Habit, or Nitro. I feel a interesting bridge though, which makes the energy rise. 5/10

SONG 7: SHE'S GOT ISSUES

I never saw the big deal with this song, but realize that it is about a woman who has problems in her life and she relates them all to her man. I think that the song runs a bit too long, but we all have those types of relationships sometimes, or at least hope to avoid those. 7/10

SONG 8: WALLA WALLA

Back to the Pretty Fly ideas for this song, which starts as a excersize like voice, then revs up to talk about a man stealing stuff, and he has to serve his time. I don't exactly like this song, but at the same time, I never seem to skip it, particularly the spoken part about 2/3 into this track. 7.5 to 8/10

SONG 9: THE END OF THE LINE

This song is like the sequel to Gone Away, which is a fantastic song about death. This song seems to follow the same pattern. This was the last line in the Novel The Sheltering Sky, but the lyrics seem to relate to a drunk driving incident, or a incident gone haywire which has caused a great deal of stress in Dexter's life. This song still practically brings tears to my eyes, cause "You can't take back that one mistake, that still goes on after life it takes." Creepy but powerful poetry. 10/10

SONG 10: NO BRAKES

2 minutes of fury await you, as the song seems to be a man full of energy with no stopping points, or No Brakes. Two minutes like some of Smash's or Ixnay's Tracks, and a high adreniline rush. 8.5/10

SONG 11: WHY DON'T YOU GET A JOB?

This song may have sellout written all over it, but I can't begin to describe how much I've wanted to say this to some people around me, who are NOT my girlfriends. I think that people should make it a job to find a job 6/10

SONG 12: AMERICANA

America, the beautiful? No, not as Dexter describes it. He describes America becoming a source of Greed and Hunger. Just as he did with several songs from his other albums, Dexter as he did with Jennifer Lost the War (Debut), L.A.P.D. (Ignition), brings political views into this song. "My life's all denied by the least qualified" kind of sums it up. 7/10

SONG 13: PAY THE MAN

Smash would have a song with extras after the song was over, and so does Americana. The final song is over 10 minutes long. The beginning has a very interesting Indian like melody, and shows promise. Of course, the booklet shows a Gangesh like picture with several items over it's arms, so that's how I figure the melody to be Indian (Hindu) in nature. The song is quite long, but finishes off well. 8/10

The booklet has perhaps some of the Offsprings best artwork, and lyrics of every song. Over all of the album, you are granted a fair and well time, a few good ones, but a few not so good songs.

The reason that I had to finish this album today is because I can only type and work when my family is not home, and I have to get it done later.

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