Brandon Elliott

This album is an absolute megaton of energy. It's got highs and lows, punk anthems and acoustic ballads, fast beats and slow melodies, everything in between and and more. It's so much more than I could have expected from Green Day, and I absolutely love that they didn't just do one sound 15 times over. The mix of tones is superb. This album reminds me of seeing them play live, just a bit smoothed over and polished, which I'm struggling with whether I like or not. The amount of open, raw honesty is astounding. The lyrics can be a tad bit repetitive at times, and yet, much like the three-chord progression that they've mastered, *it works.* I don't think there's a bad song on this album, although a couple of tracks will probably grow on me (Suzie Chapstick, Saviors, and Fancy Sauce) as I listen to it more and more. I'm excited to listen to this on bigger and better speakers, because it needs surround sound to be fully appreciated. Definitely a strong, solid album from a band that doesn't sound like they're anywhere near done crushing it sonically. Initial review: 8.5/10