They're back. After the absolute flop of Father of All Motherfuckers in 2020, people questioned the direction Green Day were going to take. From being pioneers of the pop punk genre, blazing their own path in history, they took a previously unknown stop at mild mediocrity since 1990. However, some claimed this was to get out of a previously oppressive record deal, others claimed the band just wanted to try something brand new away from the sound they had been building over the years, and this brand new record Saviours is more of a blistering return to form. And upon first listen...well, that's why I'm writing this. Here's my track by track breakdown and review of Saviors!
(Album Art - Saviors - 2023)
The American Dream Is Killing Me - 3:06
This one was released as a single quite a while before the release so I had time to really soak this one in. This track opens with some pretty neat sounding guitars and a brilliantly building drum pattern that slams into the main chorus. The first verse feels like classic American Idiot delivery and venom from Billie Joe Armstrong, with real emphasis on the cutting lyrics tearing apart modern day American ideologies. It slams into a similar chorus before hitting a fun little refrain and heading back into a verse. It changes it's tempo often through the track, proving once again that Tre Cool is indeed still pop-punk's most dangerous drummer. The bass sits at a nice spot in the mix too, you can listen out for it and hear it perfectly weaving through the rest of the instrumentation. The solo is definitely deserved, and with the double pitched harmonics, it sounds off the chain. This track is built really well, and really lets those lyrics breathe throughout. They have real impact, and as far as an opener goes, this one sets the scene pretty perfectly.
Look Ma, No Brains! - 2:03
Another single here - this one is an absolute steamer. It slams straight on, and has that real classic Uno! sound, it's raw and punky, and has some really nice sonic elements. The chorus really shines, it's bright against the lyrics which are pretty bleak, and just crashes on and on into a little breakdown section that feels fucking awesome, and then it slams into another chorus. It's fast paced, and absolutely blistering - these guys have not lost any of their touch over their brief four year break, and I actually see some of the pace from FOAMF on this track, in a very good way. This feels like that quoted return to form, it's one foot in the door of their classic punk sound that's edgy and volatile, the chunky chords and impactful breakdowns, but also has this edge that's completely new and exciting to hear. The only thing that is wrong with this song is that its so short! It leaves me wanting more, so I guess that's a good thing.
Bobby Sox - 3:44
This one is another banger, and released a day before the album dropped in it's entirety. It opens nice and easy, some simple vocals over a strummed chord progressions, before throwing itself into the next gear with a chorus that feels reminiscent of classic rock, with the extreme vocals and backing 'ooh-ooh's' still with that guitar central in the sound. Billie Joe Armstrong is talking about his bisexuality again pretty openly, which is pretty cool, asking whether anyone wants to be his girlfriend or boyfriend respectively. Lyrically, it is a little repetitive, but it sounds absolutely amazing, and the sonics more than make up for it. Revolving around that repeated guitar and splashy drums, it just keeps chugging along in all it's glam rock glory. There's a perfect section where it all bleeds away to just the bass and mild backings, and gives Mike Dirnt a real chance to shine on this one. He is an insane bassist, so deserves the spotlight at any opportunity. Plus I'm a bass nerd so I always love to hear it. Another banger, and it's filling me with more and more hope that Green Day are fucking back in a serious way.
One Eyed Bastard - 2:53
This one was caught up in a bit of controversy when it first released, again as a single. A lot of people heard some similarities to So What? by P!nk. I'll be real, I hear it, bar the little vibrato/bend on the final note they are quite similar. But I don't by any means think that it's a rip off - I read somewhere that almost every chord progression or riff on guitar has been done and recorded before at some point, so something tells me this is just one of those happy accidents, and by no means marks this one down. It's got some real grunge to it, and with that symbol heavy drum groove it's a really brilliant opening. To that vocal section and slamming into a chorus that really swings, and gets the head banging and foot stomping, this track is a killer. Dirnt is again shining in this track, the bass is so present in the mix, as well as his backing vocals layered under Armstrong's. The lyrics are great once again, and sonically this one is just a treat to listen to. It's suspenseful one second, and then absolutely brings it home the next. A real highlight early on.
Dilemma - 3:18
I'll say with my chest that this was my favourite single released before the whole album dropped. It's a rager that balances that perfect dichotomy between the pretty depressing lyrics and some brilliantly lively punk instrumentation. It lets the vocals breathe perfectly in the verse with the picked guitar and chunky bass, and you can really hear the merit of the words. It slams into another chorus, and again is just slamming more and more evidence that these guys are veterans of their sound. This track is pulling on every style they know, it's got pop-punk elements, some more ballad type delivery, and some of that indescribably Uno! vibes. It's a perfect amalgamation of Green Day bringing that maturity and experience to a completely new level, and this track is just a delight.
1981 - 2:10
Into new territory now, and this one is as explosive as the ones before it. It's a punchy opener, and implements that brilliant suspense, before flourishing into the bass and drums introduction. It seems like a track referencing the 'good old days'. Again the bass is in such a pleasing spot in the mix here, and the little embellishments on the drums, like the odd ride hit just give it such a perfect quality. It's another fast one, and is gone as fast as it appeared, but this is a definite highlight - from start to finish it hits all the points it should and rages from beginning to end.
Goodnight Adeline - 2:57
As far as swing goes, this track has it in spades. Transitioning from a swinging chorus to a strummed almost country verse, it has some really lovely simplicity to it. It works, really well, and is another one that lets the lyrics breathe more. It's an easy semi-slow jam bop that's really easy listening. It's a track that really focuses on the drums and guitar, and has a brilliant little guitar solo in there that absolutely rips. It's a really good easy song, and although it's nothing immense or spectacular, it's still a pleasure to listen to.
Coma City - 3:38
Masters of build up strike again - this one builds and similarly slams on into the verse, and a cheeky breakdown. Again, the bass weaves through all the instrumentation really nicely, and adds some brilliant flare to the ends of a lot of the sections. This one really helps let the band flex their musical chops. There's a great instrumental section that really works in the context of the track, but also just keeps proving these guys' credentials as legends of the game. Although I wouldn't say this track is anything insane, it's a nice semi-instrumental track that invokes a really cool emotion to it, and seems to just build and build pretty manically to it's end. Good stuff all around.
Corvette Summer - 3:02
This track absolutely slaps from beginning to end. You know that primal need sometimes for a song with enough cowbell to kill Cristopher Walken? Look no further than Corvette Summer. It's all parts classic glam rock, punk, and a little bit butt rock, and this is one lethal cocktail. It has serious kick, and is an absolute headbanger. It has serious swing, and the bass again is kicking serious ass. The lyrics are also really good, and the solo at the latter end is so earnt and makes this final session so much better. When it strips back to just the guitar and reels you right back in, you know it's going to get good, and the final chorus is a return to that classic cowbell laden gold. Absolute highlight for me. No questions.
Suzie Chapstick - 3:16
I like the more introspective feeling opening to this one. It's a little more mellow, a bit more of a slow mover, and chops up the style a little, which is good - It makes the record both cohesive and regularly unique. It's another heavily lyriced one, seemingly commenting on internet culture and love, and it's really pretty in its sonics. The guitar tone is cleaner, the bass staying perfectly funky underneath the crisp drum grooves. It's a bit cleaner in the production too, and just lets it all speak for itself. It's chill, no extreme vocals or screeching guitars, it's a little rest stop between the craziness that feels more reflecting than impactful, and it's a good track, easy to listen to and accessible. No complaints.
Strange Days Are Here To Stay - 3:06
Now, if you need evidence that the American Idiot/21st Century Breakdown style Green Day are still kicking about, this song is all the evidence you'll need. This track oozes rock opera, and has all those elements that made us fall in love with it all back then. The muted guitar and lyrics that cut deep, the narrative that's being spun out between it all. It's a nice return to the things that made Green Day so famous in the first place. It has a new signature edge however, with that spite for the modern climate, and is still filled with that signature bite and venom we expect. A nice solo blares in before the final chorus, and ties up a song that would be comfortable among any other hard hitting Green Day records.
Living in the 20's - 2:06
And if you need a little more of that new age Green Day sound, this track is exactly that. Scornful, raging and cutting, this track slices through with all the things we need and expect from these guys right now. Growling guitar, perfect drums attacked with precision and some lyrics that pinpoint all the anger from Armstrong. It's got some brilliant extreme vocals too that get across all that pent up rage perfectly, and create a masterpiece of modern Green Day brilliance. All parts political and perfect, this track is another highlight for me, unwavering and unfaltering musical prowess and lyrics that cut like a blade. Insane.
Father to a Son - 3:54
Ah yes, the obligatory acoustic track that makes ya a lil sad. This one is classic - a topic that Billie Joe knows a lot about. Fatherhood, loosing his at a young age, I'm sure there's a lot he doesn't know, and this track seems to play on that quite well. It builds a little more than the classic all acoustic tracks, but really thematically feels like a perfect introspective banger. It plays with the challenges of fatherhood, about loosing the ones who are supposed to teach you lessons and where their lives go in the aftermath, whether that's through the untimely death of his own, or him disappearing from his children's lives to tour with the band, it dances a line between ballad and all out emotional uppercut. It's a great track that tugs on the heartstrings, and gives you a mild break from the political shots and insanity of the rest of the record, and keeps it all nice and fresh.
Saviors - 2:56
The title track - expect big things. Again building from the opening, a nice tom-centric fill opens it up. I like the vocal effects, it sounds like Armstrong is coming out of a HAM radio. The chorus swings (I know I keep saying that shit, but it does) It's laden with ride, and just smooths it out to a degree that's really impactful. I will say, that I was expecting a little more form the title track, but you know what, objectively it's still a great track. It has all the guitar you could want, enough sweet drums to give you a headache and a bassline that sits, as usual, perfectly. Nothing huge, nothing insane or raging that pummels you into submission, but an easy experience that's just nice and tight.
Fancy Sauce - 4:02
Now, as closers go, this one is something special. The easy guitar opener reels you in with those nice and clean vocals, the reverb giving it a decent edge. Then it hits into a slow groove chorus, really taking pleasure in those long reverbing guitar chords and almost halftime drums. It goes back to the mildly acoustic verse, and adds the easy drums and bass that makes it really good to listen to all the pieces individually. Again, the lyrics rip in this track, they are all parts subversive, wild and political. Armstrong really proves his song writing chops on this record. Some may say it's all too political, that Green Day have become the very thing they swore to destroy in terms of political prophets, but let's be real, look at the climate. We're in a constant state of political turmoil, especially in the states, and this music just reflects the times it's made in. Green Day have not made themselves the 'American idiots' in this, they've once again made a record that criticizes and dissects the society we live in. That shit is awesome, and works perfectly, and is encapsulated in this track. Beautiful.
(Green Day - Courtesy of Billboard)
Overall
Look - this record has been absolutely trashed by the press. People are calling it 2D and lacklustre, but I really don't think they're seeing this record in it's full definition. It's all parts scathing, venomous and topical like they're old discography, whilst keeping their collective feet firmly into something brand new and really exciting. People are far too hung up on both their past successes and past failures, and I'll be real, it's time people moved on from American Idiot. They will, realistically, never make a clone to that record. I'm personally glad, and respect Green Day for moving in a different direction to what they've done before. This record - on the whole - is fucking awesome. It has some amazing elements, and every track holds it's own among the rest. Don't listen to the nay-sayers and critics eager to sway you away, these guys are still in their primes, and I for one will be listening to this album for such a long time. It was so good, and I enjoyed it so much, I went and bought it on physical the day it was released! I don't think I've ever done that - so let it be a sign, Saviors slaps.
Runtime: 46 minutes and 2 seconds
Highlights: One Eyed Bastard, Dilemma, 1981, Corvette Summer, Living in the 20's
Rating: 9/10
(Also, I'm seeing Green Day live this year at the Isle of Wight festival, so expect me to continue to rave about this band till I drop...)
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