Friday, September 27, 2013

Album Review-Green Day !DOS!

Teddy Ballgame knows how to push my writing buttons. He has told me before he was looking forward to my take on the three album blast of music from the end of 2012 by a band that we share a love for, Green Day. When I got the albums last year, they never really made it circle of playlists I would choose. Then I get this simple message from Ted in an e-mail linked to a Green Day song from Dos, "Amy".

Ted: Your thoughts?

I didn't remember this song, so I popped up the link and gave it a listen. Amy is an end-of-album ballad on Dos. Being a fan of both Green Day ballads and plucky guitars, I am disappointed to say that I don't love this song. I absolutely love "Whatshername" from American Idiot. That might be one of my favorite songs ever. I actually think "Amy" could be helped with more band and less plucky guitar.

This song is a good example of something I don't like about this whole album. Too many of the songs sound like Billy Joe is going for a throwback to the early 60's sound or maybe to early Beatles. I don't like early Beatles such as "Love Me Do". I need to go through all three of these albums and dump all the songs I don't like and maybe create a single album that I could consider a part of the Green Day anthology. The fact that I have not revisited these albums from one of my favorite groups is a reflection of the albums. For a while, I thought I might be to blame. I'm not.

This morning, I decided to take time to revisit Dos in detail. Listening to it once while I was concentrating on work, then re-listening when I had to beat of the songs already in my sub-conscious.

I didn't end up plucking out many of the songs to add to my 1-2-3 mix. I felt that the punk songs felt kinda forced and many of the other songs made me visualize the three of the them in matching suits standing next to mic stands on my black & white TV. However, there is a nice rally of three songs starting with Ashley through Lady Cobra that are worth another listen. The start of Ashley was not promising, but the overall song is a decent, driving punk song. Baby Eyes is alright. Lady Cobra is probably my favorite song on this disc. I'd cover my eyes, too, Mike Dirnt.

Overall, I think if I felt like doing the Twist or the Mashed Potato, I would spin this disc at 33 1/3 and break out my golf pants and party like it was 1969. If not, I think there are plenty other choices on my Spotify playlists. Ima gonna check out 1 and 3 and let you know if I'm missing something.

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