After a six-year hiatus, pop-punk giants Good Charlotte released their sixth studio album titled "Youth Authority." Four singles unveiled over the span of seven months had been supporting the new record, and the build up finally came to an end this past Friday when it became available for download.
Benji and Joel Madden, lead-men of the 20-year-old rock band, had stated that "Youth Authority" isn’t a comeback record. Rather, it’s a continuation of their story and journey as artists.
It turns out the Madden brothers stayed true to their statement. The album begins with the in-your-face power chord driven track, "Life Changes." The song never ceases to slow down and recreate the lost feeling of the early-2000s golden era of the pop-punk genre. The echoing lyrics, “You know that nothing lasts forever/You know they said we’d never stay together,” could easily have mid-20-year-olds driving through their old hometown suburbia riddled with nostalgia, longing for simpler times in their lives.
Three tracks in, the fast and powerful pace of "Youth Authority" suddenly deviates into the humorously clever lyrics of the slower and more poppy “40 oz. Dream.” The record then transitions into the Bic-waving anthem “Life Can’t Get Much Better,” a slow ballad that’s definitely out of character for Good Charlotte, but manages to kill it nonetheless.
Good Charlotte attempts to continue this ballad-theme toward the tail end of the first half of the record, but unfortunately is unsuccessful. It feels as though there is a certain lull and grogginess before the creative “Stray Dogs” and the more-than-welcome interlude “Stick To Your Guns.”
The second half of "Youth Authority" commences with arguably two of the best songs the Maryland band has ever recorded, and represent why the record is ultimately a triumph.
Good Charlotte’s second album, "The Young and The Hopeless" (2002), has become one of the gold standards of pop punk. Listening to it track by track you can sense the urgency of the band, particularly through the lyrics of the Madden brothers, that they were desperate to prove their worth. At that point, Good Charlotte had proven nothing, but they were filled with resolve to show the world that they were for real.
“The Outfield” and “Cars Full of People” have the same sort of deep fiery desire for affirmation but in different ways. This time Good Charlotte has proven themselves, and they are completely aware of it. “The Outfield” is a fast track which delves into reminiscent feelings of isolation that ultimately ends in finding love, while “Cars Full of People” showcases Benji and Joel Madden’s fear of becoming stuck in a mundane nine-to-five lifestyle that they were obviously successful in avoiding.
Some say that pop punk is dead for many different reasons, one of them being that the masses that enjoyed the genre has outgrown their angst and have moved on. However, Good Charlotte demands with "Youth Authority" that pop punk is definitely not dead. While Good Charlotte has proven themselves as pop punk mainstays, and have obviously matured in the process, they send the message that it’s important that you never let your youthful flame die out. It’s OK to change and mature, but you must never lose that crazy young passion that may be dormant in you, but can be let loose at anytime. Good Charlotte and "Youth Authority" do just that.
