Review Summary: ¡Viva la Revolution Radio!
It always amazes me just how many wonders a break can do for a band. It's been 4 whole years since Green Day released the disaster that was the Uno! Dos! Tre! trio. Coupled with a Christmas song that embodied what everyone hated about the current Green Day, it seemed that the punk legends would never make anything worth listening to again. However, in just the four years they've been gone, Green Day has managed to create their most refreshing piece of work in over a decade.
Revolution Radio can, in many ways, be considered almost like a part two to American Idiot. Both albums center around political tension and a sense of rebellion. The subject of songs like "Outlaws" and "Youngblood" are similar to songs like "She's a Rebel" and "Extraordinary Girl" in which the main character sings about an equally rebellious love interest (which seems to be a running theme in Green Day's politically charged albums). While it's easy to just call Revolution Radio just another American Idiot, there are some key differences and subtle changes between the two albums. American Idiot showcased political hysteria through a more personal view via the Jesus of Suburbia, while Revolution Radio manages to show these themes through a wider lens. Revolution Radio creates the feeling of panic and uncertainty happening everywhere as opposed to American Idiot's confined view. Revolution Radio is also a quicker paced album than American Idiot, with few interruptions in the barrage of quick and loud punk anthems that Green Day throw at you. Most songs barely hit the three minute mark and some only getting up to two minutes and a half, reminiscent of the Green Day before American Idiot. The production on Revolution Radio is also cleaner and more polished than previous outings, which could divide those who wanted a more 90s sounding Green Day and those who don't mind the cleaner sound.
"Somewhere Now" starts the album on a calm note with a simple acoustic riff similar to "Wake Me Up When September Ends" before bombastically exploding into a loud anthemic guitar riff accompanied by punchy drums as Billie Joe Armstrong sings "How did a life on the wild side... ever get so dull?" "Bang Bang" and "Revolution Radio" continue these themes with the former being a showcase of the state of the world is in currently and the latter being a call for action. Both songs are huge punk anthems with extremely catchy choruses. "Say Goodbye" runs in the same vein of "Bang Bang" with a more defeatist attitude as Billie sings "Say goodbye to the ones that you love, say hello to the ones in control" and sounds similar to "East Jesus Nowhere". "Outlaws" is a 5-minute long power ballad and is one the best ballads Green Day has ever performed. "Bouncing Off The Walls", "Still Breathing" and "Youngblood" are all short and catchy, tightly performed songs that are each fun to listen to. "Too Dumb To Die" and "Troubled Times" begin to wrap up the themes conveyed in the album before hitting "Forever Now", the next song on the album. "Forever Now" is easily the best song on Revolution Radio. It is Revolution Radio's "Homecoming". The song starts off on a personal note as Billie Joe Armstrong sings "My name is Billie and I'm freaking out" and continues that note with lines like "I never learned to read or write so well, but I can play the guitar until it hurts like hell." Split into 3 parts that flow into each other beautifully, it is the cultivation of all the themes and subject matter sewn together in such a way that is perfectly embodies the message the album has been trying to convey. "Ordinary World" ends Revolution Radio on a calm and somber note with a straightforward acoustic song in the same vein as "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)".
If you haven't liked Green Day at all since they have been around, this album isn't going to change your mind. Revolution Radio is not a genre-changer by any means and it still contains the pitfalls that Green Day songs usually entail. However, if you've been a Green Day fan and just haven't been impressed with any of their recent work, then I welcome you to the return to form Green Day so desperately needed.
