It has been four years since Green Day released its studio record, "Father of All…" in 2020. Since then, it released a live record in 2021, co-headlined a massive stadium tour, Hella Mega, with Weezer and Fall Out Boy and headlined multiple festivals like When We Were Young Fest and Lollapalooza. The punk rock legends are back with their 14th studio album, "Saviors," released Jan. 19.
The record starts with its first lead single, "The American Dream Is Killing Me," a fast-paced arena rock hit with twangy guitar riffs, Tré Cool's iconic drum fills, and Mike Dirnt's bouncing bass lines. It is a solid album opener showcasing many of the record's instrumental and lyrical themes. This song is reminiscent of a track the listener would find on its seventh studio album, "American Idiot" (2004), with its political themes and Billie Joe Armstrong's vocal melodies.
Following the opening track are the album's next four singles. "Look Ma, No Brains!" follows a similar format as the track before it with its driving guitars and kick drums. "Bobby Sox" has a chill, grungy vibe, encompassing slower drums, brighter guitars and rougher vocals. It is a love song with romantic, lyrical imagery about asking a person to be the speaker's girlfriend/boyfriend/best friend.
The next song, "One Eyed Bastard," is more lyrically and instrumentally vulgar. The guitars carry a swinging vibe as Armstrong's drawling vocals carry the grooving chorus. It is a song about revenge and spite, where anger and hatred are brought out in Armstrong's ever-present vocal performance. The final single, "Dilemma," slows it down, but keeps up the energy with its steady, Beatle-like drums with a heavier edge and fuzzy guitar riffs. Armstrong's vocals are soulful yet gritty as he sings its chorus, "I was sober, now I'm drunk again/I'm in trouble and in love again/I don't wanna be a dead man walking."
The other non-singles still pack a punch; however, many are alternative versions of one another. Some even strike a strong resemblance to past Green Day tracks. For example, the melody from "Strange Days Are Here to Stay" sounds faintly like "Coming Clean," a track from its third studio record, "Dookie" (1994). Nevertheless, the rest of the track listing holds several diamonds in the rough, so the singles do not hold most of the weight of the album.
"Goodnight Adeline" opens with a "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"-esque somber acoustic guitar and vocals, which pick up during the chorus. Its guitar solo between the last two choruses is tasteful and one of the best riffs on the record. "Coma City" returns with its political themes, detailing some of the issues America and the world are dealing with, like corrupt billionaires (the line "Bankrupt the planet for assholes in space" directly referencing Elon Musk) and police brutality ("Don't call the cops/Word on the street is they all quit their jobs").
"Corvette Summer" and "Suzie Chapstick" are quite similar as they have a summery vibe to both of them. However, they stand out in different ways with the types of guitars and drum rhythms. "Corvette Summer" feels like an area rock, Bon Jovi-type song with booming drums, groovy guitar riffs and cowbell. "Suzie Chapstick" leans more into a Beach Boys vibe with its airy acoustic guitar and cutesy interlude.
"Strange Days Are Here to Stay" and "Living in the '20s" are also duo tracks that reflect on present-day society and its issues. Touching on generational disconnect, mass shootings and America's fentanyl crisis, both songs speak on today's issues, stating "These are the best of times/twisted and borrowed times/these are the loneliest of times." The instrumentals between the tracks are mainly the same, with different riffs, but "Living in the '20s" is a lot rasher, both instrumentally and lyrically.
The last three tracks - "Father to a Son," "Saviors" and "Fancy Sauce" - are vastly different from one another. "Father to a Son" is a deeply sentimental track as Armstrong wrote it in dedication to his two sons. The track opens with a soft acoustic guitar riff and eventually reaches the chorus, where Cool's booming drums come in, along with a steady piano and uplifting strings. The lyrics detail fatherhood's ups and downs and how love like that can change a person.
"Saviors" picks up the pace for a driving finish with its fuzzy guitars and tambourine-heavy percussion. It's another track that observes society's distressful state, yet it has a hopeful lens as the chorus states, "Calling all saviors tonight/Make us all believers tonight … Will somebody save us tonight?" The closing track, "Fancy Sauce," immediately brings back the pessimistic nature that is heavily throughout this record. The twangy guitar riffs sound almost despairing as they drawl behind Armstrong's vocals as he sings, "We all die young someday and watch it slip away." It is a depressing note to end the record on, but it makes sense to drive home the point of the record's overarching message.
In summary, Green Day's "Saviors" sticks to its classic punk rock formula while speaking on the issues plaguing American society in this new day and age. It feels very reminiscent of "American Idiot" with its critical analysis of America's problems but with a wiser outlook on them. The non-political tracks are solid as well with some that are very meaningful and heartfelt, while others are simply fun, arena rock tunes that the listener can vibe to. Although the instrumentals can sound repetitive at times or sound like past Green Day songs, it still makes for a solid record that hardcore fans of the band will love and adore.
Next summer, the band will head out on The Saviors Tourwith The Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid and many more. It will also be playing "Dookie" and "American Idiot" in their entirety to celebrate the albums' respective 30th and 20th anniversaries.
Rating: 3.5/5
