Be Like Max
Against All Odds
Self-Released (2015)
Sounds Like: The Toasters mixed with old Big D and the Kids Table
Score: 8.5/10
Be Like Max was one of the first ska/punk bands I listened to, being the main attraction at the very first ska show I ever attended. In the two and a half years that I’ve been a fan, they’ve grown and accomplished so much, touring extensively and cultivating a fanbase all over the country.
The first thing I noticed with Against All Odds was that for lack of a better phrase, it was a lot easier to listen to than their previous releases. Don’t get me wrong; I absolutely adore Be Like Max’s other albums, but I could easily see the songs on Against All Odds launching the band to popularity outside of their skacore niche. The songs are more mainstream-friendly without straying too far from what lies at the heart of Be Like Max: pure, fun DIY ska/punk.
Be Like Max is also more exploratory with this album. Their cover of “Wasted Days” adds an energetic punk twist to the classic Slackers song. “Yours Truly” is the band’s (pretty great) attempt at dabbling in hardcore, and is contrasted with the softer, more reggae-influenced song immediately before it on the album, “Shout It Out.” One of the indicators that a band is growing and maturing is its ability to expand musically, and Be Like Max has displayed that ability fantastically in Against All Odds.
Songs like “Yeah, So What” and “We’re Trying” offer listeners a glimpse into the psyche of the band: they’re just a bunch of guys that love to play music and are trying their best. They don’t care if they don’t become famous—they just want to keep doing what they love.
I’m pretty partial towards the last two songs, “Party in Hell” and “Sin City Rude Kids,” since those are the only songs on the album that I’ve seen Be Like Max play live. The former is, unsurprisingly, a great song to get the crowd going. Because let’s face it: most of us are going to hell, if there is one, so we may as well have a good time while we’re there.
Being a local, I may be a bit biased in my love for “Sin City Rude Kids,” because part of the appeal of the song is that it explicitly thanks all of the Vegas kids who come out to Be Like Max shows to sing, skank, and support their favorite local ska band. Cheesy as it sounds, the Las Vegas ska scene (and Be Like Max, of course) has truly shaped my life and who I am, and I’m sure I’m not alone.
Be Like Max is kicking off their winter tour with a hometown show at 11th Street Records on Jan. 22. It’s the perfect opportunity to hear some of their new songs live, if you missed the release show, or even if you simply want to see them again. Be Like Max has also announced that they’re playing both Extreme Thing and Punk Rock Bowling in 2016, which makes this Vegas rude kid’s heart swell with secondhand pride. They’ve worked incredibly hard to get to where they are now, and they certainly deserve it.
-Julien Boulton
I saw them in Seattle just when this album was being released, good stuff.