Less Than Jake

Goodbye Blue & White (1999)

Adam White

This review covers the initial release of Goodbye Blue and White, which has since been re-released with a slightly different track listing on Fueled By Ramen

Only available through mail order or at shows, this is an interesting collection of songs previously released on out of print and limited edition vinyl. Less Than Jake has proved to be one of the ska-punk bands with the most longevity, making this is an interesting, if not entirely satisfying, chronicle of their history and influences.

Most of these B-Sides are from the "Pezcore" and "Losing Streak" sessions and therefore reflecting the songs on those albums. The sound quality varies, with the album will moving between professionally produced studio tracks to poorly mastered studio outtakes never meant to be anything more than collectors items. This is a common problem with these collections and is difficult to correct. "Losing Streak" and "Mixology of Tom Collins" are great rocking songs that have made their way into Jake's live shows. "Modern World", "I Think I Love You," and "The Reflex" are some of the better covers (there are several on this album). "Goodbye" ends with four energetic live tracks and is capped off with a short acoustic radio promo.

A few of the album's songs have been re-recorded by the band and ended up on their LPs. "Scott Farcas Takes It On The Chin," "Cheese" and "Rock And Roll Pizzeria" are here in earlier forms. The musical and lyrical differences of these should prove interesting to fans.

The problem with "Goodbye" is the lack of coherency between the songs. They are collected from different periods of recording and have vastly different production from one song to the next. Several of the songs do not entirely fit, such as the band's Slayer covers or the joke songs which cater to the band's in-jokes (not making them of much interest to the casual fan). However, as a low-priced CD put together for collectors, these faults are forgivable. Taken as an album or compared to their full lengths, "Goodbye Blue and White" doesn't hold together well at all. However when taken as individual tracks, Less Than Jake fans and collectors should by quite pleased.