Less Than Jake's Uncharted is the Feel Good Album of the Year

Ska-punksters Less Than Jake have released their new EP, Uncharted, via Pure Noise Records. It was recorded at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins and was produced and engineered by Jason Livermore and drummer/producer Bill Stevenson (Black Flag, Descendents, ALL).

My first exposure to the band was in May 2021 when I reviewed their Late Night with Less Than Jake Livestream. The world was still in the midst of the Covid pandemic and there were ZERO tours. The band had just recently released their Silver Linings album in December and this livestream was their way of sharing their new music with fans. I was immediately hooked on the band. Even sitting in my office chair watching the stream on my computer, my ass was moving to the music.

Jump to the present and Less Than Jake is finally back after almost four years with new music, and it is about damn time. If there is a time when people could use cheering up it is now. Half the population is numb from the negatively that is eating away at our society due to recent events. The cure, albeit temporary, is a good old-fashioned smile. Listening to Less Than Jake music almost invariably achieves this result. Uncharted is no exception.

About the new EP, the band shares: “When started writing this EP, there was no intent for these songs to live together as a collection. As each song took life, we realized that the songs were more in tune with each other than we had originally thought. Six songs became seven and we were recording them with our one of our musical heroes (Bill Stevenson). It felt different – a feeling we hadn’t felt about a recording for some time. This EP represents a new chapter in the story of Less Than Jake. Forward we go into the Uncharted…””

From the opening song “Broken Words”, the sounds of Chris DeMake‘s guitar and vocals, Buddy Schaub‘s trombone, JR Wasilewski‘s sax, and Roger Lima‘s bass get the blood pumping. It makes you want to forget everything that is going on around you and just a have a good time. Each track on Uncharted builds on this feel-good vibe.

“Dead Days (Over and Over)” and “Brand New Day” find the band looking to the past in search of a path toward an optimistic future. On the later, drummer Matt Yonker shares: “Looking back, it always feels like things were less hectic “back in the day”, right? Sometimes it feels like we need a positive catalyst to kick start a less stressful life experience; something that will bring us all closer together, and spread the unity we all felt when we were kids.”

If you’re needing yourself some Ska, then Uncharted by Less Than Jake is the album for you. It is the most enjoyable album I have listened to all year. Its seven songs zip by in 22 minutes and you’re left wondering where the time went. Hopefully, it won’t be another four years until we get more music from the band.

Follow Less Than Jake:
Website: www.lessthanjake.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lessthanjake
Twitter: www.twitter.com/lessthanjake
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lessthanjake
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@lessthanjake

Upcoming Tour Dates:
5/24 – Hatfield, UK @ Slam Dunk Music Festival
5/25 – Leeds, UK @ Slam Dunk Music Festival

Post by Scott Raymer (Website | Instagram | Facebook)

Comment below.