Last week the world was treated to the twelfth studio album from punk rock band Green Day, Revolution Radio. The album was a transition from their rock opera style albums (American Idiot and  21st Century Breakdown) and the trilogy album back to their bare bones rock of albums like Dookie and Nimrod.

This being the band’s twelfth studio album by this point they know what they’re doing. The three best friends are back and it’s more pop than ever. Now that’s not necessarily a bad thing with the song “Still Breathing” almost going full pop, it just works for the punk rockers with Billie Joe giving a very heartfelt preference and with amazing explosions of the instruments coming through on the chorus and it just feels right and just works for them. But don’t let that decisive because there are some call backs to their earlier more punk sounding days with songs like “Youngblood” and “Bang Bang” giving fans that feel of fast paced energetic instrumentals that the band is known for. This also shines through with the title track “Revolution Radio” with its stellar guitar riffs and punk filled vocals.

Like I mentioned before, this album is a far cry from their epic “rock operas” that they left on. With this album clocking it at just over 43 minutes and with only one song eclipsing the 5 minute mark, that being “Forever Now” being 6 minutes and 25 seconds long, it is a huge difference from the almost 80 minute 21st Century Breakdown album.

Now, this album is very, very good; it’s not too far from stuff that they have put out before. It is just different enough to keep the band relevant. I am excited to see what this new album will bring for Green Day. With a future tour coming to Pittsburgh,you can bet your lucky stars I will be there.