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Some general impressions
You all probably thought the same when hearing about the new album of GC: '****, spare me more of the stuff like "Lifestyles of the rich and the famous"...' I read some articles on this album before it's release, heard some interviews by the band, stating that it is much more mature than their older work. Well, I had the opportunity to listen to it a couple of times, as I borrowed the CD from a friend. It comes in two flavors, the 'Life Edition' and the 'Death Edition', each with it's own bonus track. I checked both out (one at a record store)
So, what's the general impression? The intro is quite surprising. Japanese choir, and an orchestral arrangement. Sounds actually not bad. Even a bit... epic. The first 'real' song... WTF? Back to normal, sounds like the average Pop-Punk stuff to me. Not much difference on the following tracks. 'What's the big deal about maturity and stuff, not making only pop-punk stuff?' Good question...
Overall, it all sounds a bit darker. Lyrics-wise as well as speaking of the music. What really is new, are the orchestral/'foreign instrument' parts in some songs (Intro of 'Predictable' for instance. piano on 'The truth') or nice acoustic passages ('S.O.S.'). It seems that there are more samples used.
What I really like about the album:
Ok, going in a bit more specific, what was good on this album? Some songs are done real nice. 'The Truth' with it's main piano theme has a nice emo touch to it. The two guitars are used in a normal manner. I see the need for two guitarists here, not as normal with some other bands. But, I've heard that done better. Still, not bad. While listening, I really got the feeling on many songs, that they really try to advance their work and musical horizon.
What was not so good:
Ok, the intention is there, but still the first genre that I think of when I hear this stuff is Pop-Punk. The orchestral parts are nice, and give new accents, but it's not enough to bring it all into a whole new direction. The instrument work sounds normal, nothing very special there. Or I must have missed it if it's there.
Summary:
To sum it up: Nice effort, but... The stuff is, as Pop-Punk often is, very catchy. The record seems darker, which mostly comes from 'darker' lyrics. It has this little epic touch here and there, coming from the use of instruments foreign to this genre normally. Songs like The Truth or Predictable with it's intro can show that. I got the impression that the intention was there to do something 'bigger and more sophisticated', yet it does not really come out that way. Predictable really grew on me, and I actually like that song quite a bit, but the rest of the album kind of failed to impress.
Regarding the special versions: Both bonus songs are ok, nothing very bad, nothing especially good. Best would be to take the CD for a test drive and decide what song you like better.
My song suggestions:
"Predictable" - nice intro, quite catchy. not bad
"The Truth" - Mostly a piano track. This is probably the track that impressed me the most. Falls out of order the whole way it's set.
"In this World (Murder)" - Has all in all a more melancholic touch. Good example for the darker side of the album.
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good review
i havent heard much from the album, but what ive heard is ok/mediocre
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Sorry, but I see nothing "Punk" about Good Charlotte, its more like just Pop.
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They went pseudo-goth, taking the guitarist's lead. They look like they're doing an awful A7X impression.
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There really never was any punk to begin with.
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[QUOTE=Iai]Eh. Couldn't really give a toss. Millencolin and NOFX sound the same as GC to me, just better.[/QUOTE]
I can understand Green Day or Blink (at one point in their career anyway) being called pop-punk. Good Charlotte just don't have any real element of punk anywhere in their music. They don't even play anything that punkish at all.
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[QUOTE=SubtleDagger]I can understand Green Day or Blink (at one point in their career anyway) being called pop-punk. Good Charlotte just don't have any real element of punk anywhere in their music. They don't even play anything that punkish at all.[/QUOTE]
exactly, they just dress the part, and they go waaaaaay overboard, even with that. However, we debated this shitty band to death for the review of the last GC album, so unless some people are ready to make some actually valid points, let it die.
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Good review, I'll check out "The Truth".
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well this is just truning into a genre war..
i checked some of this out and i have to agree with what Iai sed
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Hey, I can understand what ur sayin bout G/C not bein 'punk' cos they do hav a pop sound to em. But it is a bit harsh sayin tht ther nt pop punk, cos they play in a punk style of music. I'm nt a big fan of G/C, But they are quite a good punk pop band, bcos they write catchy songs, n if they wana 'grow up' then people shud judge on the music ratha than whether they like the band. you can't critisize em for they people they are either, cos I bet they probabli like the same type of punk/punk pop music that evri1else dus.
The new cd of wat iv heard of it is ok, n has sum good tracks on it, but its nt amazin. But I wish people wud stop slaggin off bands like GC, cos they do play as a punk/punk pop band, and Id like to see the people who do write and play a better punk song.
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I always just took it that they were pop-punk leaning more towards the pop side than the punk whereas stuff like NOFX is on the opposite side of the genre. But lets not be genre Nazis, there's room for manuvere in a genre surely? I don't really mind their image, if that's what works for them then that's what works for them; it doesn't affect me really. I've heard Predictable and it's alright for what it is but I don't paticularly like it, espcially when he starts to talk in the middle. I've been known to shout at the television when GC are "playing" their guitars without moving their fingers on the frets or touching the strings but I do attempt to be tolerant.
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Simple to play instrumentation? Try to play some of the Rancid basslines and then tell me that its simple. There are definitely a lot of bands out there that use the generic chords and have very simple music, but there are also a lot of punk bands that have very complex and excellent riffs.
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its time for a whose punk? whose sold out? conversation! yippeee!
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[QUOTE=GingaJ]Hey, I can understand what ur sayin bout G/C not bein 'punk' cos they do hav a pop sound to em. But it is a bit harsh sayin tht ther nt pop punk, cos they play in a punk style of music. I'm nt a big fan of G/C, But they are quite a good punk pop band, bcos they write catchy songs, n if they wana 'grow up' then people shud judge on the music ratha than whether they like the band. you can't critisize em for they people they are either, cos I bet they probabli like the same type of punk/punk pop music that evri1else dus.
The new cd of wat iv heard of it is ok, n has sum good tracks on it, but its nt amazin. But I wish people wud stop slaggin off bands like GC, cos they do play as a punk/punk pop band, and Id like to see the people who do write and play a better punk song.[/QUOTE]
www.hop.com/
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[QUOTE=burton.and.gas]its time for a whose punk? whose sold out? conversation! yippeee![/QUOTE]
123, that's exactly what these reviews get into
*sigh* oh well
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my lil brother has this album and one of there songs sounds like a freakin dance song "I wanna live" is sung in a horrible high pitch and these guys dress goth and there singing that song? they just seem like they have no energy and the guitars are really really bland, 2/5
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i wouldn't call gc pop punk i would more say there emo-pop still what does there genre have to do with anything thats the one thing that good charlotte has been made fun of most for did they ever say they were pop-punk they said they were punk because when they started they were younger and more naive looking at there favorite bands like rancid and saying i want to be like them and alot of people do that, so why should we say gc cant, and yes they all stole billys look and billy has not sold out JOEL has he went from denim jackets to all black he sold out not the hole band and benji has always been like that.
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Ok, thanks for the props on my review. I appreciate that. 
But, this is for discussing the CD, how the tracks are etc. The CD-Review Forum is not the place to discuss what genre a band is, or why they are not. I took a rough shot with Pop-Punk, and that's it.
Please, if you want to discuss what genre they are in another forum. If you don't have something valueable to say about the CD, just leave. If this genre war goes on, I will ask to let this thread get closed (for obvious reasons).
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okay The chronicles is a good cd with a couple of the best songs being "we believe'(my favorite) "the truth" and "SOS" i also like what the did with "just wanna live" it was a risk they took and yes it is really flashy and danceish but still i give them props for branching out like that at least they're not afraid to be who they are. Also if half of you would listen to the cd istead of just coming here and bashing them because they're popish then this world would be a little less ignorantn so listen to the cd and base your coments on that not there looks or there genre
I have one thing left to say GO GC
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theres only like 3 good songs in the album
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[QUOTE=Blink_Fan315]my lil brother has this album and one of there songs sounds like a freakin dance song "I wanna live" is sung in a horrible high pitch and these guys dress goth and there singing that song? they just seem like they have no energy and the guitars are really really bland, 2/5[/QUOTE]
You call yourself Blink_Fan315 and complain about bland guitars?
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