If you followed Good Charlotte since their early days, you probably have a similar impression of them as I do. At first, they were a punk rock band who, after their first album, The Young And The Hopeless, became significantly more badass. Then in recent releases, their image seemed to become more commercial or pop. I was pretty disappointed when only a couple of their recent songs reminded me of the old Good Charlotte.
Their newest release, Cardiology, makes humble nods to their old style. Although there are still some obvious elements, like electronic melodies in the background of a couple of songs, the slight return to their old ways makes this album worth it.
It’s obvious that the band knows now what they want their sound to be, and makes the necessary changes to recreate the sound of their first two releases. In addition to their old, loud traditions, they show even more progress in writing and playing chops by changing the feel of each song.
Most tracks on the album aren’t just loud guitar-driven songs. Slow songs and even acoustic passages show that the band is growing through the process of finding who they want to be. For fans of both the old Good Charlotte, and the new incarnations of the band, Cardiology is worth a look.
In A Word: Conventional
