Told you it wouldn't take long for me to get to this! We're back in unfamiliar territory for me, since I've only heard three songs on this album previously. But, it's still acclaimed by fans, so I'm excited to get into it nonetheless. At this point Green Day are superstars, and have a lot to prove. Do they succeed in my eye? Let's find out.
1. Armatage Shanks
Ooh, I like the tom solo at the very beginning. The instrumentation even has more grit and power than that seen on Dookie. Great first impression. Great vocal melodies, even if it's a little hard to tell what Billie Joe is saying. Still, hits hard. Good Green Day.
2. Brat
I almost thought this would be an acapella track. That would've been interesting. Not that this isn't, because it's fast and it rebels against the narrator's parents. It's got an amazing groove that kinda reminds me of She's A Rebel from American Idiot. Great messing around track, since it doesn't even clock in at two minutes.
3. Stuck With Me
Something about the way the chords on this song sound is so satisfying to me. Is that weird? Like the previous tracks, it hits hard and fast. My favorite part is around the middle where the guitars kinda quiet down to give the bass some time to shine. It feels kinda silly but it still feels intense.
4. Geek Stink Breath
This is one of the songs I had previous heard. It's about meth. I know that. The guitar crunch is fantastic. I do wish it had a guitar solo instead of repeating the same chords before the third verse, but other than that, incredibly catchy and hardcore. I'll take this to my grave.
5. No Pride
This one seems to have more of a lighthearted tone, even if it's not any less intense. That is an accomplishment. I kinda wish this had a guitar solo too instead of the same chords in the bridge. Ah well. Billie Joe was never really one for guitar solos. This rips, it's awesome.
6. Bab's Uvula Who?
That title man. We're back into more minor-sounding songs. I can't really think of a lot to say about this song, but I know I love how it sounds. It doesn't let up, even though one of the riffs has the guitars take breaks inbetween strums. Awesome.
7. 86
This is the third song in four albums whose title is a number. Billie's clearly pissed off at someone for some reason. Actually I looked at it, and it's about Green Day getting banned from a pub for signing to a major label. Their loss. They turned that experience into a kick-ass song at least. Intense, sounds great. Really describes a lot of this album.
8. Panic Song
Oh my god that fast bass and drums I love this already. The first two minutes set up a ton of urgency. I would've been satisfied if that's all it was. But the last minute and a half still satisfy. Probably the most intense song on the album so far. And that's saying something.
9. Stuart And The Ave.
That bass lick. That's all I need. Well, okay, not all. The rest of the song definitely satisfies as well. Pure, unadulterated punk. Not that much to talk about though.
10. Brain Stew
This is the second song I'm familiar with. I've always seen it as a slow, punk version of 25 Or 6 To 4 by Chicago. Which is actually a really good song. I do like this, but on its own it does tend to be repetitive and kinda sludgy. That is, until it transitions into...
11. Jaded
Now we're really talking. The shortest song on the album, but it doesn't waste a second. It rips, and goes at sonic speed. Well worth the build of the previous track.
12. Westbound Sign
This kinda reminds me of I Was There from 39/Smooth. Which was one of my least favorite songs on that album. But you know, still good. Nothing wrong with it. This is still intense even though it feels more major than previous songs. There's not a lot to it, but it is enjoyable.
13. Tight Wad Hill
This one picks it up a bit more. Great drum parts, good vocals. The bass part is actually really awesome. I wish I could hear it a bit better, but it is there and it is insane. Definitely like this.
14. Walking Contradiction
The last song on the album sacrifices some speed for a little more groove. And it pays off. Almost gives me a Beach Boys vibe. Incredibly catchy, especially the bass, as usual. Great way to end the album. I expect it to stick with me.
Final Verdict: This lived up to the hype. The instrumentation is rougher and at times more satisfying than Dookie throughout without sacrificing production quality. It's all very fast paced (except for Brain Stew) and it makes me feel like a badass for listening to it. Though it can be hard to tell songs apart, but that's been true for all the Green Day albums I've reviewed so far. My only real complaints are the lack of solos to give some of the songs more variation or punch (Dookie had those in spades), and how the guitars can overpower the awesome basslines at times. Ah well. Still a very worthwhile listen.
Rating: Light 9/10
Best songs: Panic Song, Bab's Uvula Who?, Geek Stink Breath, Jaded, 86
Worst song: Brain Stew
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