Less Than Jake – “Sound The Alarm” [Album Review]

Having just signed a new deal with Pure Noise Records it’s only fitting that Less Than Jake waste no time in releasing some music to celebrate this new union. As such, here it is, seven great tunes that really are to the standard you’d expect from LTJ in the form of the delightful ska-punk ear candy that is Sound The Alarm.

Now I will say Sound The Alarm does lack that one anthem that pretty much all LTJ albums have had but, please don’t be fooled into thinking that this is a bad record, far from it in fact. All of the songs are catchy, uplifting with the dual vocal talents of Chris Demakes and Roger Lima complementing each other perfectly. It also touches on some pretty emotional subject like stress and depression whilst maintaining the cheerful feeling that ska-punk always seems to have. Although I have already said this record is lacking that one anthem to add to the fan favourite catalogue,each tune has it’s own unique charm.

The record opens with “Call to Arms” and, along with “Bomb Drop”, are the fast paced personifications of the early days of LTJ and set high standards for the next six songs. Up next is “Whatever the Weather” which, as I write this, I feel the need to retract my previous statements that there will be no additions to the fan favourites catalogue as this tune, along with “Welcome to my Life” and “Years of Living Dangerously” bring me back to the first time I heard The Science of Selling Yourself Short. To me this was the most emotional I had ever heard LTJ be and, as a result, became a tune that became a regular on my playlists. “Whatever the Weather”, “Welcome to my Life” and “Years of Living Dangerously”, as a result, resonated with me as they demonstrate that that LTJ aren’t going to shy away from exploring the darker emotions.

I’ll admit that, as I wrote my feelings towards this current outing by LTJ, they changed and became contradictory with regards to potential fan favourites but we are all entitled to our opinion and further to that, change those opinions! So, in conclusion, this may not be the best LTJ has to offer but it has still got some gems and for long time fans (like me), trust me here, you want to add this to your collection.

Sound The Alarm Track Listing:

01. Call to Arms
02. Whatever the Weather
03. Bomb Drop
04. Welcome to my Life
05. Good Sign
06. Years of Living Dangerously
07. Things Change

Run Time: 20:53
Release Date: February 03, 2017

Check out the full EP “Sound The Alarm”