EXTRAS & INTEL
Supercharged — The Offspring Prove They’ve Still Got Plenty Left in the Tank
Some bands chase trends; others chase their youth. The Offspring has always seemed more interested in just being… The Offspring.
Supercharged neither trying to recreate Smash, nor is it trying to recreate Americana. Honestly, that’s a good thing. I’ve been listening to these guys since I was about 13 years old; I’m 45 now. We’ve all gotten older together.
The Sound
If you’re expecting the raw aggression of the ‘90s, you’re probably looking in the wrong place. The energy is still there. It’s just more focused.
Instead of sounding like twenty-year-olds trying to break everything, they sound like experienced musicians who know exactly how hard they need to hit. That’s not a
criticism; that's growth.
The Standout Tracks
Four songs immediately landed on my playlists. Light It Up was an easy choice.It made every driving playlist I’ve got.
* Flank Speed
* Full Speed
* Cruise Speed
That’s pretty rare.
If I’m reaching for it regardless of how I’m driving, that’s usually a sign the song simply works.
Make It All Right: this one’s different. Less adrenaline. More optimism. It landed on my Cruise playlist because sometimes you don’t need to drive fast. Usually, you just need a good song while the miles roll by.
Both Get Some and You Can't Get There From Here get honorable mentions as well.
Dexter Has Aged Well
One thing I’ve always appreciated about Dexter Holland is that he’s never tried to be something he isn’t. He’s not chasing impossible high notes. He’s not trying to prove he can still sing like he’s twenty-five.
Dexter simply sings like Dexter. And after all these years… That’s exactly what I want. The same goes for Noodles; his guitar work still sounds unmistakably like The Offspring.
The lineup around them has changed over the years—as happens with most bands that
have been around for four decades—but they’ve consistently brought in talented musicians who fit the sound.
Get good drums. Get a solid bassist. Keep the songwriting strong. Turns out that’s still a recipe for a pretty good rock band.
Perspective
The previous album, Let the Bad Times Roll, hit me differently. Listening to it
reminded me of a difficult chapter in my own life, particularly around my divorce. Whether or not that was the band’s intent doesn’t really matter.
That’s one of the beautiful things about music. Sometimes the lyrics stop belonging to the artist and start belonging to the listener. Supercharged feels like the next chapter.
Less anger. More confidence. Still energetic. Just… wiser.
Final Verdict: 5/5 Stars
How To Turn Spades Into A Game Of Psychological Warfare
…by some random loon.
Ahh Spades, one of the great freebie games included with Windows way back when. Before smart phones, and other modern annoyances, we had cards (and marbles, shooting each other with rubber bands, etc. 😜). While I certainly didn’t appreciate the sophisticated nature of the game at the time, I eventually found a respectable partner who was willing to take a few risks for shits and giggles. So, we tried a few little ideas that occurred to me here and there (just to be clear: I’m not claiming anything novel; I just like sharing 😜).
1. The Bonehead Maneuver (a.k.a. The Blind Bluff)
The premise is simple: make the blind nil an unattractive option. It takes a lot of luck to ordinarily pull off such a feat anyway, so we don’t need a huge push. All they need to know is that you know how to do more than just play the hand you’re dealt.
Here’s the setup: you are bidding third. In this position, you have the potential to influence the fourth bidder’s decision by intentionally making the blind nil *seem* attractive.
There are risks of course: an experienced player may see through your ruse, and you end up with a set; while annoying, remember: if you know you’re getting set, you have exactly zero incentive to take a single trick. Drown them in baggage. It’s also entirely possible (though rather unlikely given the above caveat in the incentive structure) that they actually pull off a blind nil.
But if they fail… they aren’t just set, they’re suddenly looking at a significant point swing. Depending on your opponent’s temperament and the specifics of said swing, a rage quit is a distinct possibility 😁
One way or the other, they are less likely to attempt another blind nil… 😜
2. The Pathfinder
Sometimes you don’t have the Ace. That doesn’t mean you can’t add a little value into the mix. If you have one handy, toss a Queen, aka the pathfinder.
Possible outcomes include:
* Partner has the Ace.
* They take the trick immediately.
* The King is now promoted into a future winner.
* Partner has the King.
* The Queen loses.
* The King remains protected instead of being forced out prematurely.
* Opponent has the King.
* Your partner’s Ace captures it.
* The King disappears and the suit often becomes easier to manage later.
Naturally, everything still depends on distribution. Someone may already be out of your particular suit, and spade your partner’s King anyway. The Jack may complicate matters. The Pathfinder isn’t a rule; it’s a way of creating favorable possibilities.
3. The Setback
One of the beautiful things about Spades is that any suit can become temporarily dominant. Suppose Spades have been exhausted; meanwhile, you’ve quietly held onto the Ace through Jack of hearts. If you gain the initiative at the opportune moment, your hearts suddenly become as dangerous as a hand that was initially loaded with Spades. That’s a fine opportunity to deliver a little setback 😜
Summary
None of these ideas are magic. A clever tactic usually works best once. After that, intelligent opponents will adapt. Winning consistently isn’t about discovering the perfect trick. It’s about continually asking: how will my opponent adapt to this? Then adapting right back.
May the odds be ever in your favor 😜