Continuing in earnest with their popped-up brand of punk, California scene stalwarts
the Offspring
deliver another solid late-era set on
Supercharged
. Much like fellow punk vets
Green Day
,
Sum 41
, and
Rise Against
Dexter Holland
and the guys are aging gracefully, playing to their strengths -- catchy, high-energy anthems that blend pop-punk with good ol' fashioned hardcore -- rather than trying to rehash any of that youthful intensity and rawness of their early albums. That's not to say that they're defanged: "Truth in Fiction" is, as advertised, supercharged, a rollicking punk blast that'll sate fans of
Smash
. Their humor also remains intact, as evidenced by the cheekily titled, near-metal riff-fest "Come to Brazil," a nice wink to the social media comments sections. Without a stinker in the bunch,
is fun, brisk, and absolutely worth a spin for fans of any stage of
's decades-long career. ~ Neil Z. Yeung