Co-written by Alejandro Ulloa.
“¡Uno!” is the first installment of Green Day’s upcoming trilogy entitled “¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, ¡Tré!” The album gives the listener a first look at what’s to come from Green Day and it is a breath of fresh air from their old form of politically charged lyrics and rock opera storylines. The punk rockers’ ninth album goes back to their roots, and they write about relationships and growing up. It is clear that the band wanted to go back to writing and have fun while doing so. At the first listen one can hear the fun and energy that the band brings forward.
The opening track “Nuclear Family” has a great guitar line and immediately brings out the energy that the band so desperately needed. The sound of the album differs from their previous two rock-opera albums “American Idiot” and “21st Century Breakdown” because they decided to scrap the big Marshall amp sound and go back to using Fender amps, which provide more of a “garage rock” feel to the album. The sound of the album is a straightforward pop punk record; very melodic lines filled with angst and songs of growing old. Key tracks like “Nuclear Family,” “Stay The Night” and “Carpe Diem” highlight the overall sound that band is going for in this album.
“Kill the DJ” stands out amongst the twelve tracks on the album. The song talks about the terrible state of music that the world focuses on. The song is written ironically like a dance track. Taking influence from bands like the Arctic Monkeys, Green Day shows their ability to still change their sound while keeping the same consistency that one would expect from the punk rockers. Other tracks like “Loss of Control” take influence from Green Day’s older material.
Front man Billie Joe Armstrong sings: “I’d rather go to a funeral than into this high school reunion.” This is taking a different direction of growing up that Green Day isn’t known for. This album talks about being an adult over a kid, trying to make it in life as their 1994 record “Dookie” is all about.
“Angel Blue” is one of the tracks that stands out on the album and it brings back feelings from the band’s younger days. During the song, Armstrong belts out, “You’re a f***ing kid and no one ever gives you a break” in attempt to make a persuasive statement as part of the overall theme of the album. A “life slogan,” if you will, that appeals to the band’s fanbase.
Other tracks that highlight the album are “Troublemaker,” “Rusty James” and “Oh Love.” These songs show the different styles of music as well as lyrics that encompass the whole album.
A video was released on YouTube for their single “Oh Love,” which reached over 4.1 million views since its post in mid August.
“¡Uno!” deserves a listen and will not disappoint anyone who is a fan of Green Day’s music. It even carries the potential to gather new fans, making this release a step in the right direction for the veteran punk rock band.
“¡Uno!” was released Sept. 25. “¡Dos!” will be released Nov. 13, followed by “¡Tré!” on Jan. 15, 2013.
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