Conspiracy of One

1	Intro 0:05
2	Come Out Swinging 2:47
3	Original Prankster 3:42
4	Want You Bad 3:23
5	A Million Miles Away 3:40
6	Dammit, I Changed Again 2:49
7	Living in Chaos 3:28
8	Special Delivery 3:00
9	One Fine Day 2:45
10	All Along 1:39
11	Denial, Revisited 4:33
12	Vultures 3:35
13	Conspiracy of One 2:17

Barnes & Noble

The album the band wanted to give away for free -- until more business-minded heads prevailed -- is finally ready for public consumption, and doggone it, the CD is actually worth ponying up for after all. Conspiracy of One isn't particularly heavy on surprises, which won't be too disturbing to fans drawn to the band's naggingly infectious brand of goofball-punk, but it does pack its share of both smirks and swinging riffs. Those elements come together most effectively on "Original Prankster" and the skate-shop love drama "I Want You Bad," both of which defy listeners to avoid singing (okay, make that shouting) along with Dexter Holland. Even so, the album is a bit darker than most of the band's previous releases, much of it inwardly directed, as evidenced by the plaintive "Dammit, I Changed Again." But that's not to say the quartet has abandoned the pleasure of the fist-pumping beat. There are plenty of pummeling beats on the adrenalized opener "Come Out Swinging," a hooky tune that's matched by the album's equally aggro title track, which airs another of Holland's us-against-them socio-political screeds. But unlike some brainy loud rockers, the Offspring don't demand that you be a card-carrying member of any particular organization to be invited to their party. David Sprague

All Music Guide

Contrary to the popular belief of music critics, listeners and artists alike, a band that doesn't deviate from its genre on its albums isn't musically limited. There are many layers to any given genre of music, and growing into it is just as much of an accomplishment as, say, experimenting with several different categories. What's wrong with sounding the same if you get better and better at it with each album? On Conspiracy of One, the Offspring do just that, resulting in their most musically mature collection to date. The tight arrangements, vocal interplay and refined guitar work on "Original Prankster," "Want You Bad," and "Million Miles Away" sound like Offspring songs, but don't all sound the same. The band departs from its SoCal punk roots at times -- a ballad called "Denial, Revisited" provides one of the album's slower instances. They also inject elements of hip-hop, rap-metal, and Nirvana-like grunge into a few songs, giving Conspiracy of One some musical diversity, but it's subtle; the album remains firmly planted in the world of punk. Each song features Dexter Holland's lead vocals and Noodles and Holland's crafty guitar playing, the group's two defining factors. The album also features some smart lyrics, though the Offspring do have some sophomoric fun on the party anthem "One Fine Day." Conspiracy of One is a solid and well-crafted recording and offers a fine progression from a band that has no qualms about doing what they do best. Liana Jonas