Green Day Return to Their Roots on ‘Radio Revolution’

Amanda Nolan

Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong, Tré Cool and Mike Dirnt, return with “Revolution Radio,” a satisfying album that blends their early raucousness with the latter maturity of “American Idiot.” The group went on hiatus after the underwhelming (or perhaps overwhelming) release of 2012’s poorly received trilogy “¡Uno!” “¡Dos!” “¡Tré!” There are no gimmicks with “Revolution Radio;” instead the group goes back to basics with their brand of pop-punk and themes of rebellion, frustration, social commentary and some touches of reflective nostalgia.

“Somewhere Now” welcomes the listener with a juxtaposition of urgent guitars and the soft echoes of a Beach Boys-type song. The album then blasts into the aggressive “Bang Bang,” a song about gun violence in America. One of the things Green Day does best is to deliver catchy music with ripped-from-the-headline themes and Armstrong takes on the persona a boy who wants to be a “celebrity” mass shooter. “Say Goodbye” says “hello” to the cops who are on patrol and “in control” while saying a prayer for ones lost. “Troubled Times” mourns the lack of peace and love in the world and Green Day gets away with tackling serious issues without sounding too exploitive.

The album takes a deep breath with “Outlaws,” a power ballad romanticizing the rebelliousness of their younger days. The song has a retro-cool ‘60s sound, and is one of the sets stronger moments. “Bouncing off the Wall” has a winking sock hop energy of a Weezer song. “Revolution Radio” and “Youngblood” are upbeat pop rock tracks and “Too Dumb to Die” sounds like it came from the “Dookie” era, following a young Armstrong mowing lawns and “looking for a cause.”

“Still Breathing” is an anthem about surviving life with a few scars, but still around after all these years. It’s a reminder that Green Day really has had a long career, a group who outlasted being a mere ‘90s novelty. “Forever Now” is a grandiose 7-minute track that reprises earlier moments on the album. “Ordinary World,” the closing song has a “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” vibe, feels like a bonus track. After an album of rage and frustration, Armstrong chooses to end on a more peaceful note singing, “Baby I don’t have much/but what we have is more than enough.”

“Revolution Radio” should please Green Day fans, and the material is strong enough to produce a few modern rock radio hits. It’s commendable that the group has tried to stretch artistically over the years, but “Revolution Radio” is a welcome palette cleanser. It is a streamlined and focused collection, balancing fun and politics over power melodies. Revolutionary? Not really, but still unapologetically Green Day.

“Revolution Radio” is available Oct. 7 on Apple Music.