Home > Music > CD Review > Less Than Jake, 'GNV FLA'

Less Than Jake, 'GNV FLA'

Ska-punk diehards get back to their roots

By Kirk Miller

Metromix
June 23, 2008

Critic's Rating:

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Backstory: An ubiquitous presence on the Warped Tour over the last decade, Less Than Jake has never quite hit Green Day/blink-182 levels of success, despite two stints on major labels and a few minor hits. Blame the ska: the group’s horn section has seemed dated since the ska revival petered out in the mid-‘90s. Now, the Florida-based band restarts once again, this time on its own label.
 
Why you should care: Forget trends—after a few years of massaging out the trombones, saxophones and trumpets, LTJ has decided to embrace its roots, both lyrically (lots of songs about Florida) and musically. While “Settling Son” is a little metal and “City of Gainesville” is a little rocksteady, the vibe here is pretty consistently ska-punk, with the twin vocals of Chris Demakes and Roger Manganelli providing a smooth contrast to the group’s hardcore tempos and horn-heavy assault.
 
Verdict: A little variety would have been nice, but anyone longing for some of the energy and fun of early Bosstones or No Doubt records will be in for a pleasant ride.
 
X-Factor: LTJ drummer Vinnie Fiorello co-founded Fueled by Ramen Records, the label that helped launch Fall Out Boy, Panic at the Disco, Gym Class Heroes and Paramore. Ironically, after a decade of work, Fiorello left the label in 2006, just before those bands peaked; in his blog, the drummer described Ramen as having gone to a “style outweighing substance” mentality.

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