Less Than Jake have released “Another Hostage Situation,” a B-side from their 2024 EP “Uncharted,” giving fans another piece from the band’s recent run of material ahead of a busy stretch of 2026 tour dates.
The track arrives with an official visualizer and finds the ska-punk veterans turning everyday chaos into the kind of sharp, high-energy writing that has kept the band moving for decades. Less Than Jake have always been at their best when the hooks are bright, the horns are moving, and the frustration underneath feels lived-in rather than forced. “Another Hostage Situation” sits comfortably in that pocket.
“Hostage Situation is about my son and daughter,” DeMakes said. “At the time I wrote it, they were 7 and 6 years old, respectively. It was inspired by morning time with them, before being sent off to school. Some days it was as smooth as silk, and other days, it was a full-blown thunderstorm. Ya know, the joys of parenting little ones. The ‘hostage’ was me, and the ‘situation’ was the chaos of that particular morning. My kids are amazing, and the lyrics are as tongue-in-cheek as you can get.”
That balance between humor and pressure has long been part of Less Than Jake’s identity. The band can write about frustration without flattening it into misery, and “Another Hostage Situation” keeps that spirit intact. The track pulls from a specific domestic moment but lands in a much wider place, especially for anyone who has tried to get small humans out the door on time without losing whatever remains of their dignity.
The release also keeps attention on “Uncharted,” the band’s 2024 EP, while pointing toward a new stretch of live dates. Less Than Jake appeared at Riot Fest in Chicago before heading to Australia and New Zealand for shows in Fremantle, Adelaide, Melbourne, Newtown, Brisbane, and Auckland. The band will return to the U.S. in December for shows in Harrisburg, New Haven, and Providence.
More than three decades into their run, Less Than Jake remain one of ska-punk’s most reliable live bands. Their story has always been about more than release dates or road miles. Chris DeMakes, Roger Lima, Buddy Schaub, Peter “JR” Wasilewski, and Matt Yonker have built a career around shows that feel communal, loud, funny, and deeply human, whether they are playing sweaty clubs, festival stages, or opening slots for some of rock’s biggest acts.
The band’s latest full-length, Silver Linings, marked their first album for Pure Noise Records and followed 2013’s See The Light. With “Uncharted” and now “Another Hostage Situation,” Less Than Jake continue to add to a catalog rooted in motion, wit, and the ability to turn life’s smaller disasters into something worth shouting back from a crowd.
“Another Hostage Situation” is available now.
- October 30 — Metropolis Fremantle, Fremantle, Australia
- October 31 — Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide, Australia
- November 2 — Forum Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- November 5 — Enmore Theatre, Newtown, Australia
- November 6 — Eatons Hill Hotel, Brisbane, Australia
- November 7 — Studio The Venue, Auckland, New Zealand
- December 10 — Capital City Music Hall, Harrisburg, PA
- December 11 — Toad’s Place, New Haven, CT
- December 12 — The Strand Ballroom & Theatre, Providence, RI
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