Before the pandemic, the world was teased with the reunions of such bands as Genesis, New Order, Mötley Crüe, Rage Against The Machine, and perhaps most importantly, My Chemical Romance. Although never officially disbanded, this year also marks the end of the 9 year album hiatus of The Offspring. Having now achieved his PHD in molecular biology, Dr Dexter Holland is back in the studio with Noodles, Pete Parada and Todd Morse to finally deliver The Offspring’s 10th Studio album, ‘Let The Bad Times Roll’.
For an album full of upbeat energy, ‘Let The Bad Times Rol’l takes a unconventionally emotional turn with its penultimate song ‘Gone Away Requiem.’ A reimagined ballad version of their hit song ‘Gone Away’, ‘Gone Away Requiem’ captures all of the emotion the original punk rock version lacked, through its stripped back piano and string section, as well as, Dexter Holland’s unexpectedly emotional vocal display. Although many won’t see the need for a new version of ‘Gone Away’, I personally feel that The Offspring have finally unlocked the full potential that the song’s lyrics contained. For this reason, it’s a shame to me that the album doesn’t stop here and instead ends on ‘Lullaby’, a trippy but ultimately pointless interlude of sorts.
Overall, ‘Let The Bad Times Roll’ is very much like The Offspring themselves; it has its fair share of ups and downs, but it’s energetic, upbeat and most importantly, fun. Showcasing their age through ventures into ska, Jazz and rock and roll throughout, ‘Let The Bad Times Roll’ finds The Offspring at their most mature, however, this maturity at no point comes at a cost of who The Offspring once were. Being the band’s 10th album and first in over 9 years, The Offspring have aged like a fine wine as ‘Let The Bad Times Roll’ is, in my opinion, a satisfying comeback album. Good to have you back guys.
Let The Bad Times Roll is OUT NOW to buy and stream. The Offspring’s UK Tour kicks off THIS NOVEMBER with tickets available NOW