Four years and an album after going big platinum with Smash (Best Sellers From the ’90s, 1/5/12), the [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Offspring[/lastfm] released Americana. Their history of putting out covers that were non-descript (at best) and cheap-looking (at worst) came to an end.

Well, is that a lobster, a beetle or, perchance, a cockroach that’s got the attention of Mr. Blondie on the cover of this record? Why is the kid wearing a brace? And what, exactly, is that cephalopod mollusk’s arm about to capture?

Innocent enough on the surface but kind of weird when you think about it, the Frank Kozik drawing chosen for Americana is kind of like the Offspring’s music: innocent (silly!) enough but prone to suck you into the vortex of their social commentary if you don’t hold onto the ropes of your swing.

Pretty fly for a bunch of white guys.

[metrolyrics artist="The Offspring" song="Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)"]

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