This was an odd week for me. I've been listening to a crap ton of Jason Mraz, but in between spats of Jason, I was determined to find a new sound to occupy my time. What I wasn't aware of was that one of my favorite bands, Green Day, had released a new album! Well, not actually Green Day, but their new quasi-side project, the Foxboro Hottubs!
Foxboro Hottubs emerged as an attempt by Green Day members to try a slightly different sound. Try as they might, that's about all they could achieve: a slightly different sound. In my opinion, that's not a bad thing. At all. A good chunk of Green Day's albums remain in regular rotation for my MP3 player, and I still haven't really gotten over the awesomeness that was American Idiot. But, this isn't exactly the Green Day we all know and love either.
First think you'll notice is the decidedly old-school 50's rock/pop/modern punk fusion. The production on this record harkens back to the days of the Beach Boys, when a good vinyl record was the top of the line audio recording. But shortly after the opening riff, you're reminded that this is still Green Day after all, and getting away from Billy Joe's now-ubiquitous vocals and lyrics isn't easy for the group.
The album flows smoothly and delivers some absolutely great pop hits. The Title Track Stop Drop And Roll starts the record off right with a driving hook and punch. Stand out tracks include poppy Mother Mary, trippy Red Tide, and punky Sally, although I think the whole album is best taken as one piece.
Foxboro Hottubs definitely delivered a good recording this time out, and I'm excited to see what this new Green Day-infused retro-rock band can do in the future. For this same reason, I'm naming Foxboro Hottubs Stop Drop And Rol!!!! my album of the week! The sound is uniquely punk and pop, which if you ask me, is just about the perfect combination... almost better than peanut butter in coffee ice cream... almost.
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