Green Day – ¡Uno! Reprise 531973-2 (2012)
This is an unexpectedly good album. Sure, it’s Green Day, so don’t come for poetic lyrics, but do look for lots of derivative songwriting. “Carpe Diem” borrows heavily from David Bowie & Queen‘s “Under Pressure,” and aside from the usual Clash influences (“Kill the DJ” is like Sandinista!-era Clash or Destiny Street-era Voidoids) there are influences from The Platters to The Guess Who. Yet, it delivers one catchy, melodic pop punk song after the next. Superficial teen angst is what these guys know and do best. I’ll take this over American Idiot any day.