Not content with one new album, Green Day are treating fans to three, but the question that plagues many is: Can Green Day produce three albums of pure quality? The trilogy of releases, being a challenge for most bands, could result in many filler tracks and there - in its depths - lies a string of songs that, when put together, would result in one mammoth record. 'Oh, Love' - the newest insight into what to expect - doesn't bode too well for the theory of three albums of pure brilliance.
Perhaps it's the high expectations surrounding Green Day, but off the bat it feels that they're capable of much more. You want to be grabbed by them, you want to see some anarchy and some tempo, yet this feels somewhat lacklustre. As the chorus kicks in - "Far away, far away, waste away tonight..." - it feels like the song could really go somewhere, the calm before the storm, but the storm seems illusive.
Five minute tracks need to captivate a listener for an extended length of time, in turn taking them on a musical journey with some form of curveball to actively excite the listener. 'Jesus of Suburbia' has proven that the band are more than capable of this phenomena, yet there's nothing in this track that actively catches the listener off guard. The guitar solo changes things up slightly feels American, if that is somehow a description anyone else can relate to, which it probably isn't... So, moving on...
This track, viewed on its own, is nothing outstanding. It has a nice, relaxed feel to it and in that sense it's just that - nice; it's catchy, it's okay. Perhaps placed in context of the full album it'll flow much better and prove more appealing; it's not uncommon for songs to become more enjoyable when surrounded by the rest of the record. Theoretically, the band are tentatively luring the listener in with a restrained song by all standards so that the rest of the record blows them away. It's simply fine, but it doesn't pull enough punch for a first single.
It's difficult to judge what will be made of Green Day's upcoming releases, but it would be futile to judge it based purely on this single. Personally, it feels like a slightly restrained Green Day but I strongly suspect they've got much, much bigger and better things up their sleeve.
'Oh Love' hit radio stations yesterday and is available at all digital retailers now. Green Day's acclaimed musical ‘American Idiot’ will be appearing in UK theatres this autumn.
Wed October 10th 2012 - Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
Thu October 11th 2012 - Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
Fri October 12th 2012 - Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
Sat October 13th 2012 - Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
Sat November 3rd 2012 - Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow
Mon November 12th 2012 - Palace Theatre Manchester, Manchester
Tue November 13th 2012 - Palace Theatre Manchester, Manchester
Wed November 14th 2012 - Palace Theatre Manchester, Manchester
Thu November 15th 2012 - Palace Theatre Manchester, Manchester
Fri November 16th 2012 - Palace Theatre Manchester, Manchester
Sat November 17th 2012 - Palace Theatre Manchester, Manchester
Thu November 22nd 2012 - Palace Theatre Manchester, Manchester
Fri November 23rd 2012 - Palace Theatre Manchester, Manchester
Sat November 24th 2012 - Palace Theatre Manchester, Manchester
Tue December 4th 2012 - HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London
Wed December 5th 2012 - HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London
Thu December 6th 2012 - HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London
Fri December 7th 2012 - HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London
Sat December 8th 2012 - HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London
Sun December 9th 2012 - HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London
Tue October 9th 2012 - Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
Mon November 19th 2012 - Palace Theatre Manchester, Manchester
Tue November 20th 2012 - Palace Theatre Manchester, Manchester
Wed November 21st 2012 - Palace Theatre Manchester, Manchester
Sat December 15th 2012 - Hammersmith Apollo, London
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Perhaps it's the high expectations surrounding Green Day, but off the bat it feels that they're capable of much more. You want to be grabbed by them, you want to see some anarchy and some tempo, yet this feels somewhat lacklustre. As the chorus kicks in - "Far away, far away, waste away tonight..." - it feels like the song could really go somewhere, the calm before the storm, but the storm seems illusive. 
