Green Day – Revolution Radio
Review by Annette Hansen
There’s always something epic about listening to a new Green Day record. Green Day have been a band for over two decades, and in that time, they have managed make records that are more than just a collection of songs–they take you on a journey. While it’s debatable whether the band was able to capture that essence on their critically mixed trio of albums Uno, Dos and Tre, there’s no doubt that Revolution Radio sees the band coming back to form.
No one’s been blind to the rising political and social tensions in America in 2016, and that includes Green Day. With Revolution Radio, the band don’t shy away from their own brand of political commentary. On “Bang Bang,” the listener is taken into the twisted and narcissistic mind of a mass shooter, while “Revolution Radio” speaks to our frustrations with the muddled and sensationalized media. Green Day even invites a darker and more pessimistic tone with the tracks “Say Goodbye” and “Troubled Times.” These tracks are topical and show a reignited fire that has been missing from Green Day’s music.
But unlike Green Day’s more political predecessors American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown, Revolution Radio has moments of genuine lightheartedness (“Youngblood,” “Bouncing Off the Wall”) and moments of introspection and nostalgia (“Somewhere Now,” “Outlaws”). This album touches on many different sides of Green Day, but somehow they all feel so cohesive.
While not every second of Revolution Radio feels as prolific as some of the band’s past material, the album is a ride worth taking. From the opening guitars of “Somewhere Now” to the powerful layered vocals at the end of “Forever Now” to the sweet send off with “Ordinary World,” Revolution Radio is more than just pleasant background noise, it’s an experience. Once you’ve let this album into your ears, it’ll be hard to not let it play one more time.
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Recommended Tracks: “Bang Bang,” “Say Goodbye” and “Troubled Times”
