It’s been a long four years since American rock band Green Day released an album, their last being “Father of All […]” in February of 2020, which received overall mixed ratings (3.3 stars).
Their newest album, Saviors, was released January 19th, 2024, and received an overwhelmingly more positive response (4.7 stars).
Saviors, to me, sounds very reminiscent of “older” Green Day. “The American Dream is Killing Me” sounds very similar to a song you would hear in a previous album, “American Idiot.” This is more than likely why I enjoyed American Dream; it sounded so familiar and so new all at once.
The similar sounds could also be due to American Idiot and Saviors belonging to the same record label, “Reprise Records.” Record labels have a surprising amount of control over an artist’s music. Another reason for the similarities is: It’s just Green Day being Green Day.
Harley Mitchell, a Green Day enthusiast since the days of American Idiot, and band member who has performed several covers of their songs, says: “…I think Green Day found this sweet spot with Saviors. It’s not their iconic American Idiot concept album, but it’s a great collection of songs that sounds like Green Day. They have their punk songs, ballads, and a few political songs too. It’s solid and coming after Father of All, I’d say we (Green Day fans) are all very pleased.”
American Dream was first released along with, “Look Ma, No Brains!”, before the rest of the album. Green Day is currently on their Saviors Tour, along with The Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid and The Linda Lindas.
Look Ma! is hands-down one of my favorites out of the 15 tracks in Saviors. The beat, the sound of the guitars and cymbals, and the lyrics are all classic Green Day, and make for an incredibly catchy song.
“One Eyed Bastard” is also one of the catchiest songs, my personal favorite part were all of the, “Bada bing, bada bing, bada boom”s.
Along with bada bings, there were many notable and memorable lyrics. Ones that stood out to me personally were:
“I never knew a love scarier than anger,” in “Father to a Son”
“…as we all die young someday,” in “Fancy Sauce,” to which Mitchell notes, “…what inspired the last song of the album called, Fancy Sauce?”
“Strange days are here to stay / Ever since Bowie died, it hasn’t been the same,” in “Strange Days Are Here to Stay.”
“Strange Days Are Here to Stay” is also a favorite, the lyrics discuss the “strange days” of today, and societal issues in a way that is humorous but also serious, for example, “Grandma’s on the fentanyl now.”
“Living in the ‘20s” is similar in the ways it discuses societal issues, but this time with an epic guitar solo. Armstrong sings, “We’re all together and we’re living in the ‘20s / Salutations on another era / My condolences / Ain’t that a kick in the head?”
“Everyone’s asleep, but nobody’s dreamin’ / We got all the fiction that’s worth believin’” in “Saviors,” is also notable.
I personally feel some songs were definitely better than others, for example, you can’t go wrong with “The American Dream Is Killing Me.” As I previously mentioned, it is so classic Green Day.
With “Father of All…”’s performance being below the Greed Day standard, Green Day really has made a comeback with “Saviors.”
Mitchell says it best, “This album feels alive. They really are back.”
