Green Day – Dos
Review by Morgan Waldorf
The second record of Green Day’s trilogy Uno, Dos, and Tre, is here and the reviews will no doubt be mixed. This is definitely an album that you’ll either love or hate as it takes huge risks and strays away from the traditional Green Day sound. Because of this it can’t really be compared to the band’s previous work, even Uno. It seems very experimental for the band something that may or may not pay off.
The album starts with a short acoustic intro titled “See You Tonight” and then chugs into the second track “Fuck Time” which sets the carefree party vibe that the rest of the record encompasses. Fans may recognize this 60’s garage band sounding, tongue in cheek song, as the band have been playing it at shows for both their side project Foxboro Hot Tubs and Green Day shows. The Foxboro Hot Tubs sound’s influence can be heard quite a bit throughout this album.
The next 4 tracks “Stop When The Red Lights Flash,” “Ashley”, “Wild One” and “Lazy Bones” have catchy choruses and hooks but may seem like filler tracks to many listeners. These are the sort of songs that upon the first few listens are forgettable but upon further listen may grow on you. This section of the record may lose people but the second half proves much more memorable, for better or worse.
“Makeout Party” is where this record gets interesting. It’s a fast standout track that screams rock ‘n’ roll. Its lyrics about spin the bottle and making out aren’t exactly the poetic phrases Billie Joe Armstrong is certainly capable of, but they’re fun and carefree. This song also features a mid-song break that showcases excellent bass work from Mike Dirnt which really makes this song stand out from the other party songs on the record. “Makeout Party” is followed by “Stray Heart” the lead single off the record and as singles usually are, it’s very catchy. It has a toe tapping beat and a radio ready chorus.
After “Baby Eyes” a darker song but perhaps the closest to previous material with classic Green Day “ohh ohh ohhs,” the record gets pretty weird. “Lady Cobra” introduces a character of the same name, a sleazy party girl who “justs wants to get me high.” Her story continues in the absolute strangest song on the record “Nightlife.” This song will no doubt be both praised and ridiculed by fans and critics alike and is completely different than anything Green Day have ever done. The track features rapping by “Lady Cobra” over a funky bassline with slow, smooth verses sung by Armstrong. Love it or hate it, it’s certainly something new.
After “Wow! That’s Loud” another 60’s inspired, Foxboro Hot Tubs-esque track with a memorable guitar riff and lyrics about a loud dress, the album is rounded out with “Amy.” The song is a tribute to the late Amy Winehouse and is a beautifully sad and respectful way to end the record on a good musical note.
Whether you hate it or love it, you have to respect Green Day for putting out a record that experiments with new sounds and doesn’t hold to expectations placed on them. While the band have been hearing criticisms of being “sellouts” and “not punk anymore” for years, to me not holding themselves back and making the music they want to make is a very punk rock thing to do.
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended Tracks: “Makeout Party” and “Nightlife”
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