Punks pack basic punch, declares it a ‘Revolution’
Green Day has gone a long way. From being young misfits, they are now one of the leading lights of punk music. On their latest album “Revolution Radio,” their 12th, singer-songwriterguitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirntand drummer Tré Cool, return to the simple yet dynamic music of their early years.
Compared to their high concept albums “American Idiot (2004)” and “21st Century Breakdown (2009)” and the expansive “Uno!,” “Dos!,” “Tré!” trilogy, the new record is as straightforward as it gets but actionpacked nonetheless.
It starts with the acoustic guitar-driven “Somewhere Now,” which is more akin to The Who, circa ’70s. Following suit is the drum-heavy, wallof-guitar charger “Bang Bang,” which sees Armstrong training his sights on gun-toting crazies, violence, and bigotry. He sings about the same sentiments on the midtempoed “Say Goodbye.”
The now sober singer-songwriter, who once hogged headlines for his public meltdowns, sings about his recovery on “Still Breathing.”
Notably, his guitar playing still rings with gung-ho freshness, using acoustic and electric guitar textures heard on “Troubled Times.” Then there’s also a look back to his youth on “Outlaws.”
Armstrong writes about a range of topics from politics and division, to disconnecting from the noise of social media. The punk in Armstrong can’t help it. Even now, at 45 and with two sons, Billie Joe still finds things to rebel about. But he’s not at all combative, more contemplative as heard on the twangy and tuneful “Youngblood.”
The title track is an all-out rocker but true to Green Day’s sound, it is quite melodic. Over the 12 tracks, the trio shows their tightness as a band even without previous additions Jason Freese and Jason White.
We’re joining the revolution.