Following a very brief stint on it during eighth grade, I long ago jumped off the Green Day train. I am very much so turned off by the fact that starting with American Idiot all their albums had to be based on a contrived, politically liberal concept/plot line. Do not get me wrong, I do not think concept albums are inherently bad, Sgt. Peppers and Pet Sounds are two of my favourite albums of all time. They key to their success is that the concept was found in the music, not the lyrics. But bands like Green Day and the Godfathers of concept albums Pink Floyd, try to deliver messages that often go right over my head. However on their latest singles "Oh Love" Green Day pay homage to classic Rock n Roll and deliver a song that works musically and thus works as a song.
The track opens with guitar strumming and an address to the concept of love; both staples of Rock n Roll. From there, my palate was wet and I was curious. The song continues and so does the tribute to classic rock. The song stands very much as an address to the concept of love. As if it is this deity which rests in the heavens and can be summoned. It reminds me of "Hymn to Intellectual Beauty" by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Not I would never want to put Billie Joe Armstrong on the same level as Romantic great, but I do give him credit for writing a song which calls out to a concept representing a constant in all our lives.
He does it with such musicianship that it is deserving of praises. As previously said, the song opens with a classic rock n roll sound. It continues. The song plays as a classic rock n roll track. To take it one step further, it returns the classic Green Day sound. It is very much so in the style of "When I Come Around", an early hit for Green Day. In fact, it is quite fitting that in this latter stage of their career that Green Day return to this classic sound.
Now I cannot say anything about the forthcoming singles from Green Day and offer any insight as to whether or not they shall stay this path. But I will say that this initial step is enjoyabl
