Green Day 'Saviors': First impressions from the listening party
The Green Day album we all needed.
The new Green Day album doesn't come out until next week, but select record stores across the country got an early glimpse of Saviors through listening parties.
Of course I had to head out to my favorite Atlanta record store, Criminal Records, to pick up some Saviors swag, get my picture taken with the album cover, chat with fellow Green Day fans, and listen to my most anticipated album of the year.
Here are my initial thoughts on the album after my first listen. Quick disclaimer: it's not easy to have a solid review of the album after just one listen at a noisy record store. So these are just my first impressions of the Saviors tracks.
The American Dream is Killing Me: The lead single of the album has been out for several weeks. It was my most listened song of 2023 and for a good reason. It's an incredibly anthemic and catchy song. Add on some American Idiot style political commentary to make an excellent opening track.
Look Ma, No Brains!: There's nothing dumb about this song. The Ramones-inspired track is quick, sharp, and to the point. No politics and no deep meaning on this one. Just a fun song about being stupid.
Bobby Sox: This is a loud-quiet-loud type of song that starts with a mellow vocal performance from Billie Joe but eventually cranks up the distortion with a chorus that screams “Do you want to be my girlfriend!”. A classic Billie Joe love song that reminds me of ‘Brutal Love’.
One Eyed Bastard: This song is a banger and one of my favorites of the album. If the “bada-bing-bada-boh" doesn't get stuck in your head, I don't know what will. Oh, and the guitar-driven bridge is as sweet as revenge.
Dilemma: When this song was released as a single a few weeks ago, the concensus among Green Day fans was clear: Green Day is definitely back! For Billie Joe, it's a personal song about relapsing from drugs and alcohol. For fans, it's a sing-along banger.
1981: My prediction is that this song will become a hit once the album comes out. It's by far my favorite track of the album. An absolutely addicting power pop song that could have easily been in Dookie. One of the most exciting songs in the tracklist. Fast, fun, and catchy as hell. Should have been a single.
Goodnight Adeline: The mandatory power ballad. Sweet vocals from Billie Joe that give a sense of farewell. Perhaps a breakup song? The first thing that came to my mind was Adeline Records, the now defunct record label founded by Billie Joe. It seems that the word Adeline has a deeper meaning than that.
Coma City: This track is obviously about the Uvalde school shooting (or school shootings in general). It takes a stab at the police as well. The catchy guitar riffs provide a strong contrast with the dark-themed lyrics. Good song with an epic ending.
Corvette Summer: Green Day doing what they do best: catchy pop punk songs that will get you dancing. A fun song about just enjoying yourself. It has a clear 70’s classic rock vibe. Add it to your 2024 summer mix tape.
Suzie Chapstick: A change in tempo. This one is slow ballad with a very melodic chorus. It gives a clear sense of melancholy. It has a great, but very basic, guitar riff.
Strange Days are Here to Stay: If you thought Green Day was done with socio-political commentary, you were wrong. In this one, Billie Joe gives his very pessimistic view of today’s society. Have things really been going downhill since Bowie died? Not a bad observation… and not a bad song.
Living in the ‘20s: Another banger. Fantastic vocals from Billie and a great guitar solo in this one.
Father to a Son: This one was clearly going to be the deep and slow ballad of the album. A sweet song dedicated to Billie's late father. Could be a sequel to “Wake Me Up When September Ends" but without the heavy guitars.
Saviors: The title track is clearly a call for help. It's catchy but a little repetitive and forgettable. It's my least favorite of the album.
Fancy Sauce: Green Day is known for having great ballads for closing tracks (think “Macy's Day Parade" or “Whatsername"), but this one was a bit underwhelming. Not exactly a ballad but also not quite a banger. It lands somewhere in the middle but it tends to drag for quite a bit. I feel like this album should have ended with a faster, epic song. This one definitely doesn't do that. Not a bad song though.
Overall, I thought this is a fantastic album. It may be the best Green Day album since American Idiot. Has it really been 20 years? Anyway, the album is more personal than political and it has some of the most addicting songs that Green Day has written in a long time. The album is definitely top-heavy, with the best tracks in side A, but still manages to have plenty to enjoy. Oh, and this album is proof that Green Day is back and here to stay.
Where you at one of the listening parties? Let me know what you thought of the album in the comments.
Big shoutout to Criminal Records for organizing the listening party. I will be back for more.