My partner is not a fan of my musical preferences. Although she is kind enough not to vocalise her distain, I can tell. However, once in a while, I’ll catch her humming along – or even singing – to one of my jams. The Offspring’s, Let The Bad Times Roll, is one of those numbers.
The track is damn catchy, but hey, The Offspring are the Archbishops of the catchy-tune church. Their hooks are so catchy, they always land whoppers, where other bands settle for minnows.
Let The Bad Times Roll uses an atypical approach to the common theme of rock music, opting for electric guitar in the verse, and acoustic in the chorus. On first listen, the back-to-front sound is a surprise and feels peculiar. After a few repeats, however, the choice makes as much sense as gravity.
“Hey Lincoln, how does your grave role?” is one of a number of thought-challenging retorts made in the song. Themes of desperation and societal discourse run strong through this number. The band drive home the message of the song with great vigour, whilst not bombarding the listener with political manifestos.
The Offspring have put out their fair share of howlers in the past decade but, Let The Bad Times Roll, ain’t one of them. This track is a winner, and will be a favourite with The Offspring’s offspring for years to come.
Rockin Reviews! 