2012 was a big year for Green Day. Three albums in the span of four months would be considered career suicide for any major label artist. Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong promised that these would be purely stand alone albums an not in a grand Rock Opera scheme.
Even though the album is not a 'rock opera' per se, it fits into the concept of the trilogy. UNO! is the angst/excitement before the party. DOS! is the raw, hormonal driven party. And TRE! is the self reflective, hangover. The concept of the three albums has been executed perfectly. In almost the same manner as Dookie is a timeless passage for teenage life.
Coming off the grandeur of their last two rock opera efforts American Idiot (2004) & 21st Century Breakdown (2009), UNO! feels like the much needed back to basics, raw energy sound that has been absent for over a decade. The Album is dawned not with Banksy style artwork but is instead sported by a devilish grin from "not f*cking Justin Bieber" frontman Billie Joe Armstrong backed by a groovy background.
"Ill show you what one f*cking minute means!!"
The album begins with no hesitation with an ode to breaking away from domestic life, aply titled "Nuclear Family". The band scorches through the opening to re-introduce you to the kick in the face Green Day of the mid 90's, while having some of the strongest melodies of the trilogy. The albums then almost descends with the slow, almost dull intro to Stay The Night. However when the song kicks off it presents yet another Nimrod style rocker. This time around the boys take aim at one of the massive themes of the trilogy, Sexual tension. Lyrics like "Well I haven't got much time so i'll get to the point. Do you want to share a ride and get the f*ck out of this joint" push the song to its climatic chorus cementing its place as a live staple for Green Day.
The albums continues the high power energy however this time around takes more of a power pop Cheap Trick sound in Carpe Diem. The track has some of the tightest performances from the band on the album, however some of the lyrics about mundane situations are amusing it does eventually make the song fall into cliche'. The next track brings us the raw pop punk Green Day that is most associated with the band. Let Yourself Go takes the band into the territory of previous songs such as American Idiot and Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, yet still retaining beautifully executed melodies that are hard not to whistle to. Personally the track is a favorite from the whole trilogy and makes you quite miss the bitter Green Day.
After making the audience comfortable with four tracks of pure Green Day-Ness, the band hit hard with an experimental dance track Kill the DJ. Sounding like something off of The Clashes "Sandinista!, the track is a pleasant fusion experiment for Green Day with some slick four on the floor drumming from Tre Cool. It seems that song earns more merit for being a dance song by Green Day rather than its surprisingly catchy chorus and bitter yet confusing lyrics. The albums then almost instantly drops down a peg. Fell For You is a catchy power pop track, but it really doesn't feel like this is the best Green Day have to offer. At best it is filler.
The rest if the album continues with the themes established in Nuclear Family and Stay the Night. Loss Of Control starts sounding almost like a lost Black Sabbath track, however after the feedback clears and the power chords appear its pure Green Day. The song acts almost like a reflective middle aged version of school yard angst. "I'd rather go to a funeral then to this High school reunion!" Armstrong snarls with anger. The track just screams mosh pit favorite. The next song to appear is the high power, groovy TroubleMaker. Starting with muted strings and a slick drum beat, the song develops into one of the most anxious and uplifting of the album. Although some of the lyrics are somewhat goofy, the track along with the former is where the band truly start to have a bit of fun on the album. TroubleMaker also features one of the most impressive guitar solos in Green Days catalogue. Well done Billie.
Angel Blue does provide some strong lyrics (Crush my heart like a stick in the mud. Cut my chest just to see the blood.) but the song just sounds too much like other tracks on the album. It has some strong verses but rhyming Teenage traces with Pretty faces is just corny. In saying that, the track isn't unlistenable and many fans do enjoy the song, but it just reaks filler.
UNO! then begins to wind down after chaotic energy burst of the previous tracks. A needed ballad chimes in with Sweet 16, but this isn't a 21 guns or a Good Riddance, it's still power pop. But dawn good power pop. The lyrics are about the relationship between Billie Joe and his wife of 16 years and while the lyrics are personal they seem to accompany 2000 Light Years Away brilliantly. The vocals are as clean and polished as Billie Joe's voice has ever been, providing the sweet aspect. Rearing off from Sweet 16 is the seminal Rusty James. Another personal chapter of not just Billies but the whole bands career is documented. While having some real power to the melody, its lyrics are what make the song. The song resurfaces the same themes as Insomniac's 86 however this time around its about looking back 20 years on at all the peers and fans who abandoned Green Day because they were 'sellouts'. The band all work together and provide one of the strongest tracks on the whole album and the whole trilogy.
The album comes to a close with the single Oh Love. Starting off with a giant stadium riff that climaxes with the operatic chorus, Oh Love is the one song off of UNO! that would fit right at home on 21st Century Breakdown. As a single the song doesn't make much sense. Its dull and drags on for just too long, however as an album closer the song prepares you for the next ride. The sexual tension is becoming unbearable at this point in Armstrong's lyrics. Its a bomb thats going to detonate. All leading up to the sequel, DOS!
Go Download!
Nuclear Family
Stay The Night
Let Yourself Go
Troublemaker
Rusty James
Overall, Green Day have achieved exactly what they laid out for UNO!. It gets you amped excited exhilarated its so much energy that you just want to unleash it. UNO! differs drastically to 21st Century Breakdown and American Idiot and it truly shows that even at 25 years of being a band Green Day can still surprise their fans. UNO! has its dull moments however it is raw and full of energy and overall a very solid album.
I give this album three stars out of five.
Overall, Green Day have achieved exactly what they laid out for UNO!. It gets you amped excited exhilarated its so much energy that you just want to unleash it. UNO! differs drastically to 21st Century Breakdown and American Idiot and it truly shows that even at 25 years of being a band Green Day can still surprise their fans. UNO! has its dull moments however it is raw and full of energy and overall a very solid album.
I give this album three stars out of five.
