I should preface this review by saying that I am a huge Green Day fan. They were one of my first favorite bands. They were my first real concert and without them I would be a much different person than I am today. That being said, I still thought ¡Uno! was a very ‘meh’ album, and was actually quite disappointed. However, Green Day’s second of the new triology, ¡Dos! absolutely delivers.
¡Dos! is an eclectic mix of all sorts of different Green Day eras throughout their career, as well as a few new tricks from up their sleeve. “Makeout Party” is reminiscent of the recent “East Jesus Nowhere” while “Stray Heart” calls Foxboro Hot Tubs (Green Day’s “secret” other band) to mind.
They also explore new territory with this album. The closing track “Amy” is a catchy electric guitar serenade shows us a glimpse of a more sensitive side of Green Day that has not been around for a while. “Nightlife” features Lady Cobra, and for the first time I am aware of a Green Day rap. And believe it or not, it actually sounds pretty fucking cool. “Wow! That’s Loud” has a riff that is caught somewhere between The Doors and The Beatles and the entire song is upbeat and makes you want to get up and dance.
The only song that breaks the record’s momentum of incredible songs is “Wild One”. A slower-tempo love song, it just seems to stick out like a sore thumb with all the other bouncy songs. “Wild One” would fit in better somewhere with Jimmy’s enamored songs about Whatsername back on American Idiot than it does on this here on ¡Dos!. Overall, ¡Dos! is an incredible album that is a standout within Green Day’s discography and is sure to quickly become a favorite among fans and casual listeners alike.
