Review: Saviors by Green Day

On Jan. 19, punk-rock band Green Day released their 14th studio album “Saviors,” an amalgamation of the styles the band has used since their first album in 1990. The album calls back to their classic punk-rock sound from their 1994 album “Dookie,” which celebrated its 30th anniversary on Feb. 1, and the acoustics and dramatics of their 2009 album “21st Century Breakdown.”

The punk-rock genre is known for being politically vocal, which is something Green Day has embraced since their start 37 years ago. Recently, they have lost the support of some fans after altering the lyrics of their hit song “American Idiot” in live performances, saying “I’m not a part of the MAGA agenda,” rather than the original “redneck agenda.”

The band does not shy away from social and political commentary on “Saviors” either. Songs like “The American Dream Is Killing Me” and “Strange Times Are Here To Stay” display Green Day’s modern take on classic punk criticism. Both songs have clever, catchy lyrics, but some of the topics try too hard to be current. The lyric “Don’t want no huddled masses, TikTok and taxes!” is oddly exclaimed, and it’s unclear what point they’re trying to make. Additionally, the band does in fact have a TikTok account which they heavily used to promote this album, so it’s hard to tell if the lyrics are meant to criticize the social media app or to just acknowledge its prominence.

In “Bobby Sox,” the third track, frontman Billie Joe Armstrong shares his view on love and relationships through the lens of bisexuality. Throughout the song, the lyrics change from “Will you be my girlfriend?” to “Will you be my boyfriend?” Armstrong has talked about the topic in his music before, specifically on “Coming Clean” from “Dookie.”

One thing that’s apparent on “One Eyed Bastard” is the striking resemblance of the guitar during the intro and throughout the song to the guitars on P!nk’s “So What.” A common argument among fans tends to be how Green Day songs can sound reused or like other songs. For example, the riffs from “Brain Stew” from Green Day’s 1995 album “Insomniac” sounding like Chicago’s “25 or 6 to 4.” However, there’s only so many different things you can do with a song, and with all of the music out there it’s inevitable that some songs will sound similar. This is the case especially with a band who has released fourteen albums. Regardless, it’s a song that stands out in the album.

Despite its criticisms, the album is packed with catchy tunes, great riffs by guitarist Mike Dirnt, talented drumming by Tré Cool, and brilliant lyrical and vocal work from Armstrong. Many of the songs on the album can be interpreted as direct callbacks to their old styles, which many fans were excited about after disappointments from other recent albums. An example of this would be their 2020 album “Father of All…” which incorporates pop influences, often something punk-rock listeners aren’t huge fans of. This album has songs that rock hard, such as “Dilemma,” but also has some soft tunes like “Father to a Son.” Overall, “Saviors” shows that after 37 years, Green Day is still one of the greatest rock bands alive.