GreenDay 010
Album Review by Cody-James Henderson
Whenever I undertake a review, it is important me to always go into an album with a clear mind, making sure to put all my biases aside to give readers an honest and fair reaction. But what happens when you’re tasked with reviewing the latest album from your favourite band of all time?
For the last 20 years of my life, Green Day has been the shining star in this overgrown emos heart. From being a 6 year old who didn’t know who the American Idiot was through to the 26 year old who has been on stage with them twice, multiple tattoos and undying obsession, it was only going to be a matter of time before my personal and professional worlds crossed paths.
So here we are. Its 2024 and Green Day are back with their 14th studio album ‘Saviors’. The follow up to the somewhat negatively perceived yet high charting 2020 release ‘Father of all Motherf*****s’ this time around fans were hoping for more a traditional, back-to-roots album from the Californian Punks. That can be a massive ask for a band that has been around for almost 40 years. With so many highly successful albums spanning across multiple decades, what exactly are those ‘roots’? Is it the Pop Punk revolutionary Dookie? Is it the politically charged American Idiot? The teenage angst of Kerplunk?
A band isn’t going to always give you what you want, but what Green Day have given us with Saviors is a 45 minute, 15 track collection of all things Green Day without relying on pure nostalgia to sell it to you.
Opening with the lead singles ‘The American Dream is Killing Me’ & ‘Look Ma, No Brains’ you are thrown into a world where that Power Chord Punk Mayhem may have directed you at a young age. ‘Look Ma’ has such a strong Ramones/Buzzcocks feel & with it clocking in and just over 2 minutes long, it just shows that influences never leave you.
‘Bobby Sox’ played on the garage rock stylings where ‘Father of All’ left off. If you have seen the lyrics for this one online, don’t judge it by the sappy love of “Do you wanna be my girlfriend?”. Vocalist Billie Joe fires on all cylinders delivering the chorus with a harshness I haven’t heard from him in a long time. And he backs that up with the latest 2 singles in ‘One Eyed Bastard and ‘Dilemma’. If the singles have shown us anything, it’s that Green Day haven’t lost their ability to write a catchy sing-a-long chorus or open up about personal struggles.
‘1981’ was first teased at festival appearances in 2023 and fans were intrigued at its fast paced, 90s sounding style citing that this was the Green Day that they missed. The studio version really drives that home. Whilst it feels like new school Green Day but this could absolutely pass as a B-Side from the Nimrod Era of Green Day or even American Idiot with its Stadium Anthem feel. And if stadium anthems are more your style, then you’re going to love ‘Goodnight Adeline’ as much as I do. Its production whilst polished, is a much more aggressive approach than the last few albums. Billie once again showing his prowess at writing insanely catchy choruses backed up by an ageless voice.
But if you’re more into the faster paced, punk styles of Green Day then you haven’t been forgotten either. ‘Coma City’ could be placed anywhere on ‘21st Century Breakdown’ but is a more important song today than it would’ve been in 2009. The attack on the American Idiocracy quoting “Bankrupt the Planet for A**holes in Space” this isn’t just another deep cut, it’s a standout war cry. A track like this being so driven by its music, we hear drummer Tre Cool bursting at the seams with this one, smashing out fill after fill towards the finale of the song. The best way to describe this one is the chorus’ ending.
“It’s on your face & hands, with no resistance”
‘Corvette Summer’ is as self-explanatory as its name. It feels like the ultimate road trip of the summer song. Personally, this is one of my favourite songs on the entire album. It’s not going to be everyones go to track on the album for its simplicity, but that’s what I love about it. Sometimes you just want to write a song about feeling good and that’s all this track is. Its classic rock feel will allow you to make the most of summer before the impending doom and gloom of the rest of the album sets in.
From feel good hit of the summer, to a cold and lonely night ‘Suzie Chapstick’ is one hell of a gut punch if you’re going through a break up. Although weirdly dropping in a lyric about ‘photos on Instagram’ (which I guess makes sense in this modern age) this will be a song to turn too in your lowest times. For someone who has been married for over 30 years, Billie Joe Armstrong knows how to write a hell of a break up song. The beauty in this song however cannot be overstated, and I must emphasise you don’t skip over it.
“Ever since Bowie died it hasn’t been the same”
‘Strange Days are here to stay’ reminding us that its been 8 years since the passing of musical icon David Bowie & since Donald Trump was elected President of the United States. Tackling racism, the drug crisis of America and the death of baby boomers, Green Day sum of the situation of Americas last 2 presidential terms in just under 3 minutes. If that doesn’t tell you what you need to know about America I don’t know what will. And the punches don’t stop there (or should I say the kick in the head) as ‘Living in the 20’s summarises more of the turmoil the world has gone through in the last 4 years.
“I drink my media & turn it into vomit”
If you wanted that politically pissed off Green Day back, guess what? You got it.
Have you finished crying after that break up song earlier? No? Well you’re definitely going to cry now. ‘Father to a Son’ shows the hardships of being a Father and how it’s not always perfect. Being open and honest as always;
“I never knew a love, could be scarier than anger”
Dare I say it, ‘Father to a Son’ is the most emotional song Green Day has written since the platinum hit ‘Wake Me Up When September Ends’. It beautiful acoustic into orchestral instrumental track doesn’t over power the message behind the song but instead adds layers to just how incredible this song is. Whether you’re a parent, lost a parent or even just having the thoughts of having children, this song may hit close to home. But it does so with such grace.
The albums title tracks brings us to the back end of the album and the first point where I felt a little distracted from the album. It’s not that the title track is a bad song by any means, I feel it just lacks the same hooks and emotions the rest of the album has delivered so far. But to get 14 songs in to a 15 song album before finding a weak-ish track is still monumental to me.
The one thing I will always stand by, is that Green Day know how to close out an album. In the past we have had ‘F.O.D’ ‘Macys Day Parade’ and my personal favourite ‘Whatshername’. ‘Fancy Sauce’ may just have the weirdest title of the lot, but it really delivers as a finally. A song that appears to be written from the perspective of someone who has been driven crazy by the outside world and has finally ‘checked-in’ to get away from it all, ‘Fancy Sauce’ feels like the ultimate roll of the movie credits. No epic outro, no fading away, just one final emphatic power chord ending the journey that is ‘Saviors’.
“We all die young someday”
Saviors is no American Idiot, nor Dookie, nor Nimrod. Saviors is its own entity. It draws from the past to summarise the future. Its open, honest, fast, slow, melancholic and contagious. No matter where you jumped on the Green Day bandwagon, there is something here for you. But make sure you strap in, because this wagon isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
Now if you’ll excuse me, now that my professional duties are done; I am going to obsess over this album for the next 12 months.
OVERALL RATING: 9/10
STAND OUT TRACKS: ‘One Eyed Bastard’, ‘Goodnight Adeline’, ‘Father To a Son‘.*Photo by Emmie America
