Ixnay on the Hombre [20th Anniversary Limited Edition] [LP] in Bloomington, MN

The Offspring
may have been a product of the Southern California hardcore scene, but their instincts have always been more metal than punk. Their guitars plod along with a heavy backbeat, and even their speedier numbers are weighed down by clumsy riffs, which is evident on
Ixnay on the Hombre
, the follow-up to the group's unexpected hit
Smash
. Despite
Jello Biafra
's opening assertion of
the Offspring
's punk credentials,
sounds like a competent hard rock band trying to hitch themselves to the post-grunge bandwagon. The riffs don't have hooks, and
Dexter Holland
yelps his vocals tunelessly. Of course, much hardcore followed this formula, but it got by on its self-righteousness and visceral forward force. Since
slow down the tempo of hardcore, it doesn't have either the undiluted rage of hardcore or the four-on-the-floor groove of hard rock. Also, they haven't come up with a ridiculous hook on the level of "Come Out and Play" or "Self Esteem," which leaves
as a tedious, turgid mess of anemic punk metal. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine