Instead of getting dumped on by a manipulative woman, this time Holland pines for a straight-laced chick. As "Special Delivery" mutates from its steady bass-led groove into a full-throttle riff rocker, Holland portrays a sleazy delivery guy stalking one of his customers. The speed-crazed anthem "One Fine Day" imagines a perfect day drinking tall boys and rioting with the guys ("I believe it's my God-given right/To destroy everything in my sight"; are your ears burning, Fred Durst?). And Conspiracy of One has more whoa's than the combined works of Black Rob and Glenn Danzig.

There's much honor to be had in making great novelty songs, as anybody familiar with Lehrer, the Ramones and Biz Markie knows. And as long as the Offspring put topical yuks into their hook-crammed tunes, they hold the title as the world's most rocking novelty band. (RS 854)

ROB KEMP