Less Than Jake Music:

GNV FLA Track Listing:
1. City of Gainesville
2. State of Florida
3. Does the Lion City Still Roar?
4. Summon Monsters
5. Abandon Ship
6. Handshake Meet Pokerface
7. Settling Son
8. Malachi Richter's Liquor's Quicker
9. Golden Age of My Negative Ways
10. Space They Can't Touch
11. Conviction Notice
12. This One Is Going to Leave a Bruise
13. Life of the Party Has Left the Building
14. Devil in My DNA

Editorial Review:
GNV FLA. Mark that as your destination to be one with Less Than Jake, an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida. Originally formed in 1992 as a power pop trio, the band evolved into a hybrid of third-wave ska and punk pop, with added elements of modern rock and even metal. GNV FLA is the seventh full-length studio album from Less Than Jake. The album's title is an abbreviation of the band's hometown, Gainesville, Florida.

GNV FLA Reviews:
2 1/2 stars
2008-10-27 - Honestly, I was disappointed. I completely appreciate what LTJ were trying to do with this album, creating one of their fastest, most punk albums maybe ever. However, apparently unlike a lot of the people reviewing this album, I miss the vocal melodies. Another reviewer touched on it perfectly: this album has a lot to like, but unfortunately, it just isn't that catchy, and to me personally, that's one of the most important aspects to music.
I love that the horns are back with full force and I like faster music better than slower music; this album is just missing the hooks. Hopefully if they are on an indie for their next album, they can feel that they got this album out of the way: that is to say, that they pleased their die-hard fans and showed that they haven't gone soft or were just making music to fulfill a contract. Maybe then they could go back to making music that pleases themselves. And maybe this is exactly what they wanted to make all along. But I'd like a mixture of this album and the hooks of earlier albums.

The most recent, and best LTJ album
2008-08-07 - Listening to this album next to Pezcore, it sounds like two totally different bands, but that's not a bad thing. There's a reason why Less Than Jake put out another album. It's because they have finally found the perfect mix of ska and punk for a great album. None of the songs have that head-bang, sugar-high, beat someone up in a the pit feel anymore. Each member seems to have come to terms with their instruments perfectly, and all of the flaws in the past albums are gone leaving one flawless and entertaining album.

Although Anthem still remains my favorite album because of all of the history behind it, this album is a classic in the works. With LTJ still on tour playing these song and selling this album, GNV FLA might be the finale of their music careers, but after this album we feel like we have found a brand new great punk ska band. Grab and album and pay tribute to the band who has rocked us for the past 16 years, and will continue to rock us with this new album.


Favorite songs:
City of Gainesville
Does the Lion Still Roar?
The Space They Cant Touch

Mo' better
2008-07-29 - Better than the last but not quite as good as the one before. Either way, I'll take it. It seems LTJ are once more in control of their own destiny, and this CD makes me think the path they are headed down is the one the fans want.

Still Shocked
2008-07-21 - I love this album. I bought it on the release date and have listened to it countless times since then. I have been a die hard LTJ fan for close to ten years, and I was disappointed by their last two albums. (I'm 21 thats a long time btw haha) Well this album definitely returns them to greatness.

The ska is back, and so is the HIGH energy pop-punk. This album contains some of the best horns ever on a Less Than Jake album. I mean check out Lion City the horns, along with the entire song, are just amazing. I also think Vinnie's lyrics on this album are the deepest and most intelligent ones he has written. Another reviewer said he felt the lyrics were like reading a novel, they took that as a bad thing. I highly disagree, the lyrics are deeper, more intricate, but are surely still damn catchy and sing-a-longable. Roger lays down awesome bass, as to be expected, he is one of the best out there. He also plays some sweet guitar riffs on this album as well, esp. Settling Son. (to those of you who don't know Roger records most of the guitar tracks on the album and has done so since Pezcore)

In short a GREAT album, I personally think its their best since Losing Streak. I put it even with Hello Rockview.

Best tracks

Does Lion City Still Roar?
Handshake Meets Pokerface (lyrics really hit home on this one for me)
Then the last three tracks on the album because they blend together so well. (This One is Gonna Leave a Bruise,Life of party has just left the building, and Devil in my DNA)

Weaker Tracks (none are bad just a little weaker)

Conviction Notice
Malachi Richter's Liquor' Quicker

Old school ways coming back...
2008-07-17 - Less Than Jake, is one of my (3) favorite bands of ALL times, (Rancid & Goldfinger)...

Proud of the boys for "ditching" the idea of NOT putting horns in every song just because they have them. Yes, one of the main reasons we listen to LTJ is because they have horns. Its their staple sound.
...and they figured that out. There are horns all over the new CD.

After all, when you choose to listen to an AC/DC tune, you are not expecting a ballad and soft vocals... its AC/DC and you know it.

By the way, I went to the LTJ show last night at the H.O.B. in New Orleans... they were at the top of there game !!! Fantastic show, sounded great, and as always, LTJ played only (3) songs from the new CD and played tons of old tunes. They played for 1-1/2 hours and did a (3) song encore... (Gainsville Rock City, Dope Man and Plastic Cup Politics) ...outstanding show!!!

Back to the new CD;
With "Hello Rockview" and "Borders and Boundaries" being their two best CD's to date, (I would rate them as 5 stars) GNV FLA gets close but falls a bit short (just a taste under 4 stars.) To me it sounds like the latter (2) CD's I mentioned, but a bit more mature than those two CD's (musically).
The lyrics, however, are like novels. Way too many words in each song, to crowded with lyrics, they need to let their tunes breath a bit.

GNV FLA lacks vocal hooks...

I have been listening to the CD since its release (and digging it) and found only 2 or maybe 3 vocal hooks on the whole CD. Hell, when I want to sing along with one of the songs, I get the lyrics sheet out of the inside cover and each song is like reading a novel. Who wants to do that.

Anyway, that is my 1 and ONLY complaint with GNV FLA, too many lyrics and not enough vocal hooks. Well, that is technically 2 complaints.

The sound production is great, as always, the horns are back, finally, and musically, the mature LTJ sound is great! just too many lyrics.

This CD is definitely worth the buy, if you like Ska and Punk!!!
...and the show is one you DO NOT want to miss!
So, enjoy both.

Lil' Gleason