Politically charged and fire-fuelled, Green Day’s latest album, Revolution Radio, is much more reminiscent of American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown than of their most recent releases Uno! Dos! and Tre!. The angsty ‘pop-punk-rock’ trio have burst back with powerful lyrics and music to create a record that feels well-produced and meaningful.
The album’s lead single ‘Bang Bang’ has a classic Green Day feel to it, combined with a dark message. Written from the view of a mass shooter, the single announces the band’s return with an album that takes their usual social and political commentary to a whole new level. However, the third track, ‘Revolution Radio’ is the standout song. Fast-paced and powerful it leads the political fury that drives the album.
Most Green Day fans will appreciate the return to their old style, only this time a little more polished and perfected, especially welcome after the three albums released in late 2012 which felt like they were missing something, something that Revolution Radio manages to capture.
"Most Green Day fans will appreciate the return to their old style, only this time a little more polished and perfected"
Both lyrically and musically, Revolution Radio is clever and thoughtful. The slight teenage frustration of their earliest albums has been replaced by something much larger sounding and self-aware. A diverse mix of Ramones-inspired punk and softer songs, the album is undoubtedly by Green Day; their music and Billie Joe Armstrong’s vocals coming through strongly.
Despite all this the final track ‘Ordinary World’ is a calm, almost reflective end that doesn’t quite fit with the rest of Revolution Radio (perhaps because it belongs to the film Ordinary World, starring Billie Joe Armstrong). Even though every track might not completely hit the mark Revolution Radio is a fierce return for the Californian trio vanquishing any claims that they may be past their best.
4/5