Less Than Jake - Hello Rockview (1998) [2023 Tour Reissue Vinyl]

Review by Greg Prato
Similar in sound and approach to their previous release for Capitol (1996's Losing Streak), Hello Rockview shows that Less Than Jake have not lost their appetite for party-laden ska-punk. Horn bursts, rough 'n' melodic vocals, and high-energy performances from the other instrumentalists will please longtime fans, but Hello Rockview doesn't really break any new ground for the band. Still, tracks such as "Help Save the Youth of America from Exploding," "History of a Boring Town," and "Last One Out of Liberty City" would sound perfectly in place at a backyard party, or blaring from the stage of the Warped Tour (on which the band has played on several different occasions). Although many have been tempted to lump Less Than Jake in with the current ska-punk bandwagon, the truth is that they were one of the first bands to combine the two styles back in the early '90s.