Before you say I'm not doing this because I'm a yuppy who watches TRL and wears spikes and hoodies that go down to my knees? I actually listened to the album and I'm reviewing it because it isn't bad and I want to show every GC basher out there what it's like. Here goes...
Good Charlotte have a bad reputation. After being publitized (?) more than any other pop punk band in 2003, people have been bashing them loads. But this is based on their three main singles "Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous", "The Anthem" and "Girls And Boys". All I heard was "Oh yeah Good Charlotte are crap." But if you listen to the CD (it won't bite!) it isn't half bad.
01. A NEW BEGINNING
A strange intro but not bad. After the symphony and the weird jack-in-the-box sound you get to the guitars and drums. It isn't a bad intro to the album and better than your average intro (Foreword - Meteora?). But after such a strong intro you'd expect a descent song?...
02. THE ANTHEM
Wrong! Now during this song is playing the intro riff isn't bad, and the verses aren't bad either. But then you get to the chorus. I dunno what Joel was on when he wrote this song, but it certainly hasn't done them good. Gotta say the solo isn't bad, it could be better but what are you gonna do?
03. LIFESTYLES OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS
With an intro almost Green Day-like, you expect another hard rocking pop punk song. Nope, not here. A blaintly boring verse and lyrics complaining about celebrities, the same status they wished of being in when they were young. It's not a good thing to sell out GC!
04. WONDERING
I don't mind this song however. After two disappointments I wanted something to listen to where I could not say the word "CRAP". I found it. This song has a catchy intro, a not bad verse and a typical pop punk chorus. After hearing Joel's voice in the last two songs though, it doesn't pull back a lot of credability points. Let's see what's next...
05. THE STORY OF MY OLD MAN
Having your dad run away from your family who are sleeping in a hotel on Christmas Eve isn't the nicest thing to happen. So it figures we were bound to hear about it on this record. And it isn't the last time. Anyway, the songs itself is quite fast until the boring and quiet chorus. It can be a touching song but it's tempo and heaviness get rid of those emotions.
06. GIRLS AND BOYS
Now even people in the pop punk forum rip this song. And quite rightly too. It's not a bad thing for a pop punk band to have a song like this. A nice song to listen to and not feel the need to shed tears and put on a frown. But it doesn't have the pop punk edge. It's another boring song sad to say, though it could have been very catchy and rocking. Not a bad bridge or chorus though.
07. MY BLOODY VALENTINE
The first sign of weakness by the band. This is a very "hardcore" song. I like this song a lot, it has all the elements G&B didn't with a different storyline and it works so well. This is definatly one of the best songs on the album, check it out!
08. HOLD ON
The "Adam's Song" of Good Charlotte, this is a very touching song. I admit the video sucks with the people talking but the song itself is so well written. I can certainly see someone who doesn't like GC listening to this and saying "Yeah... urm... that's cool."
09. RIOT GIRL
Again, after two so well written and played songs we go back to regular pop punk! This is again everything G&B isn't, yet it doesn;'t have the edge of MBV. Yet this song is still very catchy and makes fun of Christina AND Britney in one song!
10. SAY ANYTHING
Now we are going back to the sad songs. I think this is again lyrically good and the acoustic in the background really shows what the song means. This is one of those songs you can hold your lighter up to at the gigs and rock left to right. It isn't the best song on the album but is certainly not bad.
11. THE DAY THAT I DIE
Quite a sad song to write about but this isn't exactly a sad song. The acoustic is so much better, more power and emotion behind it. Anyhow, this song isn't bad again. The chorus with Benji in the back singing "The day that I die..." is effective. It's an iffy subject to sing about for a pop punk band but GC have managed to make a good song.
12. THE YOUNG AND THE HOPELESS
I don't like this. It has the pop punk sound for it, but the lyrics ruin it. This song is obviously about themselves and that only. But after you hear it you don't really feel anything for them. A good song this could've been, but too much truth about their lives with hard rocking guitars for my liking.
13. EMOTIONLESS
This is a great song in my opinion. It is again about their dad but they wrote is so well. This time they wrote it the same way as TYATH but it's acoustic sound and slow drumming make it so much more powerful. You can really listen to the lyrics and feel more than TYATH.
14. MOVIN' ON
Quite a cool song I think. Lyricwise it isn't the best song but the chorus is different and works very well for the song. It just describes all the emotions we go through while going through life and it's so true. It really brings you back into reality and makes you take another look at the world you live in. Well done GC, you've managed to make me think about how much Dubuyah is a dick again.
So, after listening to this album, I realised that the only mistake GC made was bad publicity and releasing 3 s
hitty singles. Sorry to everyone out there who hates GC because it's the new fad, why don't you buy or even download the album and see for yourself. I think everyone will be very surprised.
I give it 3.5/5 :D:D:D:(:o
