Less Than Jake stays loyal

Ska punk band Less Than Jake has never been very mainstream, but has always had loyal fans. The release of GNV FLA, their seventh album, sees the band stay just as loyal to those fans.

One standout track on the album is “Summon Monsters.” This song is probably one of the fastest songs on the album, with drummer Vinnie Fiorello playing lightning-fast beats coupled with guitarist/vocalist Chris Demakes equally fast guitar riffs. The vocals, shared by Demakes and bassist/vocalist Roger Manganelli, are perfect for the fast-paced rhythms of the music, and can even be melodic when necessary, evidenced by their use of harmonizing on “Monsters.”

Buddy “Goldfinger” Schaub plays his trombone as if it’s a lead guitar in this song, playing several fills, as does Demakes with his guitar, adding to the catchiness of this track.

Another great song is the infectious “Abandon Ship.” The song starts out slow, but quickly takes off like most of their songs. Just when it seems like it will be just a typical ska punk song, the rhythm does a complete 180 that grabs your attention and forces you to listen to the rest of the song. Though at times the song sounds more pop/punk than ska, they are still able to retain their signature sound. The trombone and guitar playing on this song is a big part of what makes the melody so great, as at times they seemingly bounce off of each other the way two guitarists would use call-and-answer.

Although the songs seem to sound a little too similar at times, they have a strong enough sound that prevents GNV FLA from getting old. Some longtime fans of the band might think they are meddling too much in pop/punk, but there should be plenty of fan favorites on this album to appease them.