Album Review: Green Day - Uno

Green Day's last album, 21^st Century Breakdown, sounded like the discarded leftovers from their previous and enormous American Idiot album. But on this, their first in a series of three albums, which are set to have staggered releases over the next few months, Uno breaks the mould for the band. This is no concept album where songs are segmented into different “acts”; there is no underlying commonality running through each track. Uno is a rock record, similar in style to their earlier works, Nimrod, Insomniac and (eek) Dookie. However, Uno isn't a band harking back on the past reeking of nostalgia ‑ it's almost like Green Day have done away with overthinking the whole album process and have sat down to restart their career, again in the form of a rock album.

First track, Nuclear Family, is undeniably Green Day, a mid-tempo rock number, easily identifiable, and a safe option for the opener. Stay The Night treads a similar path. Carpe Diem starts to see some subtle differences creep into the songwriting, laden with melodies and a '60s shuffle. Let Yourself Go is old school GD; brash, youthful and full of energy, while Kill The DJ shows the band's reggae influences, with a strong backbeat that would have sat nicely on the band's alter ego album, Foxboro Hottubs. Fell For You cruises along blissfully, whilst Loss Of Control is a balls-to-the-wall “Fuck You”. Oh Love closes the album and is pretty bland in comparison to the diversity of the other tracks.

Uno is Green Day moving forward and challenging both themselves and their audience. They have left the generic stadium rock behind and have compiled an eclectic mixture of tracks that demonstrate a band once again at its creative peak.