NGPercussion

Overall Score: 10/10
The Offspring step up their game this time on Ignition, the follow up to their self titled debut album in 1989. Read on to find out what exactly makes this album so great.

1. Session
2. We Are One
3. Kick Him When He's Down
4. Take It Like A Man
5. Get It Right
6. Dirty Magic
7. Hypodermic
8. Burn It Up
9. No Hero
10. L.A.P.D.
11. Nothing From Something
12. Forever And A Day

Session - What a way to start off an album...a verbal solo from drummer Ron Welty and then a short, punk, fast and fun drum intro from the same man. Session is incredibly catchy, and I can't help but sing along when I hear it...it's one of the greatest first (introduction) songs they've ever released, in my opinion.

We Are One - Words cannot describe how much Dexter's skill for writing songs improved since their debut album. This song is a great example of that...another catchy song seeming to be about how society is so much alike, in good ways and bad ways. Lines like "hang ourselves with one collective noose" and "don't **** with us or we'll **** with you" make me think of the movie Idiocracy for some reason. Maybe this song is bashing society in general for being unintelligent and predicting that we'll cause our own extinction before too long?

Kick Him When He's Down - If any song from The Offspring's song catalogue could be described as a masterpiece, this would be my first pick. Brilliant song, to put it simply. The best from this album, and one of the best songs from them, ever, I think, period.

Take It Like A Man - This one sort of has a Hispanic feel to it, which was confirmed by Dex and Noodles on the Greatest Hits DualDisc. If there were any songs on this record that could be described as being a filler song, this one would be it. It's a good song, don't get me wrong..but it just doesn't seem to stack up well with the other tracks here, it's like a halfway song between the S/T songs and this album.

Get It Right - Same can be said for Get It Right as for Take It Like A Man, in my opinion. Once again, good song, but Ignition loses a little bit (and I do mean a very small amount) of steam during these two songs. Or it could just be that it isn't picking up steam at all...I'm torn between the two. And when I say "steam", I don't mean the speed at which the song is going. But still a solid track and the ending part is the best part, when Dexter repeats the words "get it right".

Dirty Magic - Probably my second favorite from this disc, Dirty Magic is one of those songs you can never have enough of. Dexter's register is pretty low on this tune, which helps with being able to sing along. It's a really great song with some deep music and even deeper lyrics, which have been interpreted into several different meanings ever since 1992.

Hypodermic - Another fun one..especially Noodles' solo at the end, it just reminds me of his fun personality for some reason. Also love the random clave (can't think of their name for some reason...is that right?) at the end portion. It seems to be about drugs, and how lame people are for doing them.

Burn It Up - This one is a party song...it's about blowing stuff up and lighting stuff on fire, and making explosives...and it rocks. 'Nuff said.

No Hero - This is one of their most depressing songs. I take it to mean that the narrator had a friend who was thought to be weird and crazy, and everyone looks down on said friend, so eventually he hates his life so much and can't take the abuse, so he does something to get the police involved (suicide, murder?) and his death and behavior is blamed on his "weird" behavior, so everyone just looks the other way. Sad song, it reminds me of someone I know...

Anyways, I absolutely love this song more every time I hear it. I love the middle part, and like how they transitioned it and out of it, musically. Good stuff.

L.A.P.D. - Noodles once proclaimed this song to be a "crowd killer" when they play it in their recent shows, and I don't understand why. I can't see how people wouldn't jump/sing to it live. Anyways, L.A.P.D. is a song that criticizes the Los Angeles Police Department (obvious). I wonder if this was a personal song, or maybe just a typical and rebellious punk song.

Nothing From Something - Going back to the more depressing and dark stuff, this song is the second most depressing on the album, I think. It has that teen rebel feel to it, but in a good way. I took it to be like the protagonist is doing nothing with opportunity around him/her (should he work towards it), and is wasting his life away when he is capable of so much more. And as for the end, thanks Rainstick Guy! (read the album thanks)

Forever And A Day - Epic ending for an epic(er?) album. I really don't have a concrete guess as to what this one is about, but it has screams "awesome". Love the solo, love the lyrics, and it is a perfect ending to Ignition.

*Mission From God - This song was an outtake from Ignition, and has been released twice so far, on an Epitaph compilation and on the 2008 remaster of this album. It was cut simply because the band didn't want people to mistake it for an actual religious song, which is a shame, because it's very fun and catchy.

I ended up giving this album a 10/10. It is probably the best album overall that they have put out..of course, that's just my opinion. Everything flows well together, the songs are all great and there are no throwaways. You really can't go wrong with buying Ignition. Highly recommended.

*Please note that the outtakes in my reviews do not have any influence on the album's review score.

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Here it is, my second review ever, focusing on the second Offspring album, Ignition. Enjoy, and post what you think!

TheBig3

Tracks 1 & 3 blew up the skate video circuit when such a thing existed (pre-youtube). I think people who only have recent encounters with Offspring should check out this album. Not quite what you'll find on their latest release.

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NGPercussion

Not so much, but Trust In You off of their latest can be traced back to their punk roots. Also, songs like Half - Truism, You're Gonna Go Far, Kid, Hammerhead...different but similar. If that makes sense.

SGR

I listened to Offspring from a young age. This is one of their albums that I still spin every now and then. A precursor to their best album, and the last real punk album they'd release.

NGPercussion

Debatable. How is Ixnay not punk? Conspiracy? What exactly is the definition of punk?

SGR

After Smash the Offspring really became a pop rock/pop punk band. Sure they still have some punk stuff but you really can't classify stuff like "I Choose" and "Gone Away" as punk. Much less Pretty Fly and the **** song that is "Want You Bad" which is the most generic pop rock song they ever made. Some stuff off Ixnay and Conspiracy are more on the punk side. I love "Way Down The Line", "Mota," "Come Out Swinging," and "One Fine Day" but even these songs can't compare with the pure punk that was "Beheaded" and "Get It Right".

NGPercussion

I still think it's impossible and useless to try and decipher what is punk and what's not. I've heard people say all of their "punk" is pop, and I've heard people agree with you. I think it's useless. I like what I like, no matter the genre, so why try to classify it further than rock? That's my stance on it all.

SGR

A respectable stance my friend, I agree, if you enjoy it, the genre shouldn't matter.

NGPercussion

I only try to classify it as punk or not to someone who isn't familiar with the band or sound. I usually just use country, pop, rock, rap, or classical.