Artist: Less Than Jake
Album: Greetings From…
Genre: Punk/Ska

Greetings From… is perhaps a fitting title for this EP, a neat five-song collection that manages to perfectly capture the devil-may-care, easygoing attitude to life and music that the band have come to exemplify. While there’s not much by way of innovation or disparity here, it’s succinct and entertaining, with a few finely polished treats to keep your toes tapping throughout.

The EP launches straight in without any pause for breath on “Can’t Yell Any Louder.” A jovial overture, it’s colourful, snappy and upbeat, with a melee of brass instruments acting as a rousing call to arms. The mood is boisterous, enhanced by a jolly guitar solo that brings technique and dexterity to proceedings. “Goodbye, Mr. Personality” has a similar approach with a distinctively celebratory, festive vibe. The instrumentation is sunny and cheerful, complemented by some exquisite vocal harmonies which keep everything light and rich in good humour. When one scrutinizes the lyrics more closely, a surprisingly snide sentiment seems to appear however – for all the easygoing rhythm, the tongue-in-cheek subject matter gives this one a more caustic heart. This juxtaposition works well with the sunshine of the music as the pleasantries and gentle rolling beat are coolly offset, making for a slightly darker tone and rendering the song just that little bit more compelling.

“Harvey Wallbanger” then opens with a rousing chorus before descending into all sorts of hijinks. The guitar cuts in a little more authoritatively than heretofore which gives it something of an edge over the other tracks. There are more vocal harmonies, finely interwoven with rasps of cutting guitar to lend the song quite vivid bursts of sporadic energy. It isn’t necessarily the catchiest song in the world, but it’s a commanding presence, and eager to entertain. “Oldest Trick In the Book” revives the jubilant air so prevalent in the earlier tracks and sets it to an even, pleasing rhythm. The instrumentation is sharp and exhilarating, and the vocals more frank – indeed, something about the singing on this track feels more engaging. The layering of the lead vocals with the backing chorus makes this somehow more involving, as the sense of camaraderie and positivity is infectious to behold.

The EP comes to an abrupt conclusion then with “Life Led Out Loud,” which is instantly more rambunctious. It opens loudly and urgently and maintains a steady, brisk rhythm throughout. The guitars are more cutting and robust on this while the ever reliable brass section lingers confidently in the background to add some colour and diversity. The sudden surge after the relatively laid-back approach that had characterized the EP up to now is quite striking, yet this song is almost the standout because of this – it’s not quite as focused but it’s more energetic and sure of itself at the same time.

Greetings From… is, thus, a charming and irreverent pause for thought to add to Less Than Jake’s stellar back catalogue. It’s adds a few more blasts of reckless good humour to their repertoire and ought to keep everyone at least moderately pleased until the next full length appears. Don’t expect too much by way of fireworks, but do look forward to a nice cup of tea with an old friend (it’s only 15 minutes in length). Fun and fearless.

SCORE: 8/10
Review written by: Grace Duffy

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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