Means number 2 in Spanish, and that’s how Mike Judge would probably describe this album. But in all honesty it’s not all bad; I mean the CD cover is pretty good and the fact that it has Green Day splashed on it means it’s something to look forward to, but that’s where it stops.
The album starts off with some Christian campfire sounding song which is too odd for words. I would understand if it’s meant to be some kind of statement but I can’t find a message in there anywhere. Perhaps it’s meant to be ironic, to lead you into a false sense of security, and then blast you into some ‘Go Loud!’ music and the come along Fuck Time. Oh yeah! A song title like that with a band of this calibre can mean only one thing. It’s going to be fast, it’s going to be loud and expect some anarchic sound forcing repentance from your eardrums, now listen to it… disappointed? It just sounds like a conceptual funny song, however I do laugh at the attempt at a guitar solo thrown in. Stop When the Red Lights Flash I can only describe as totemistic. It’s not quite an anthem because, quite simply it’s not strong or memorable enough, but totemistic – for me – is more like a tribute to an anthem itself, and this is all this song is: a half baked attempt at being hard-hitting.
Then just as you think that this album couldn’t get anymore worse, it doesn’t. The song Lazy Bones is a great song, there’s nothing new to their structure or songs that they’ve done in the past, but it doesn’t sound like ‘re-visited’ material like the rest of the songs so far, it sounds a lot more, well, classic Green Day simple and perfected. Then this is when the album reverts back to going downhill with Wild One, just a boring ballad with no deep or emotional connection to the song, it sounds like someone from X-Factor wrote it and Green Day stole it. Makeout Party another excellent title that promises more than it can live up to. It’s not an awful song, it’s really catchy and no doubt will have a video to follow but it’s just not what was expected, midway through and no songs of note or recognition, whereas ¡Uno! had plenty. Then again perhaps I’m putting Makeout Party in here (on a good note) because I’m starting to sound really negative about a band that I love so much. Perhaps I am being a little too harsh, overly critical some may say, but there are good things. The songs Lady Cobra is brilliant and somehow feels like Hitchin’ a Ride from the album Nimrod. Stray Heart is worth of being up there with Good Riddance on the love song front with a bass line that just vibrates right through you with force, and Ashley just screams at you and forces you to ‘Rock Out’, albeit with a more ‘pop’ sound.
However then it throws songs in like Wow! That’s Loud and I don’t understand. It’s Punk-Rock through and through but what the hell are they singing about – from what I can determine – a ladies dress, I, I… I just don’t know how to comment on it. One song that I do know how to is Nightlife, Green Day, Rap, Rn’B…… NO! And if Amy is a prelude to what the third album instalment will sound like then I’m not holding out much hope.
Perhaps I am being too negative, but Green Day are at the top of their game and have been now for the best part of a decade. I remember hearing about ¡Uno!, ¡Dos! And ¡Tre! When I was scouring the World Wide Web to see what they were up to. I hadn’t listened to them for about a year or so and wondered what would come after 21st Century Breakdown and ¡Uno! didn’t disappoint and couldn’t wait for the second instalment that is until now. I feel cheated and not looking forward to the third whatsoever. It’s occurred to me that Green Day are slowly becoming a moderation, like Blink-182. Top of their game but that reign is coming to an end.
Mark Brassington 