CD shows off varying tones despite its raw energy
Good Charlotte has seen much success over the years, beginning with its first two records that garnered much support from both the pop and punk communities.
Heartbeat · Good Charlotte’s latest album is a fast-paced record where even the slowest song would not be soft enough to be a ballad. - Photos courtesy of EMI Music
With 2004’s The Chronicles of Life and Death and 2007’s Good Morning Revival, the band members evolved their sound to include more dance and pop elements, alienating a hefty portion of their original fan base while gaining a whole slew of new fans in the process.
Now, Joel Madden (vocals), Benji Madden (guitar/background vocals), Paul Thomas (bass), Billy Martin (guitar/keyboard) and Dean Butterworth (drums) seem to have come full circle as they release Cardiology, an enjoyable combination of the best elements from all four of their previous records.
“Introduction to Cardiology” opens with soft vocal harmonies as Madden sings that cardiology is guiding you and me / through ancient history before the pop-punk guitars of the first full song, “Let the Music Play,” blare through the speakers.
Laden with a synth/keyboard backing, the song channels elements of early and new Good Charlotte and features pounding drums in the verses and a soaring chorus.
“Counting the Days” is one of the album’s best tracks and is so energetic that perhaps it should have swapped spots with “Let the Music Play” to start the record properly. This catchy number is sure to get fists flying in the air, especially when the rousing gang vocals add to the already high-octane beat.
Up next is “Silver Screen Romance,” which also keeps the energy up as a grooving bass line complements the fast guitars that lead into a sing-along chorus. The vocal arrangements are well done as are the lyrics with lines such as Oh, the nights were cold / without you hanging on my arm / it’s so good to be home.
The album’s first single, “Like It’s Her Birthday,” an upbeat song about a girlfriend that cannot be trusted, sounds like it could fit right in on Good Morning Revival and seems designed purely to get hands waving in the air. An excellent guitar solo in the bridge also adds a nice touch.
“Last Night” is another gem on the record, opening with a riff sure to grab anyone’s attention, and has perhaps the most anthemic chorus ever written by Good Charlotte.
Throughout this tale of debauchery, Madden sings lines that include All that I remember / is that you had me at hello / I knew right when I met her / that I wouldn’t take it slow.
Keeping the party atmosphere alive is “Sex on the Radio,” another catchy offering sure to find much success on the radio with high quality vocals provided by Madden and accentuated throughout by precise hand claps.
“Alive” is a hard-hitting love song while “Standing Ovation” channels Americana-style vibes with its opening riff. The latter is an inspirational offering about seizing the day and has a slower tempo to it than the previous tracks.
The slowest song, however, is “Harlow’s Song (Can’t Dream Without You),” an emotionally touching song about a father’s love for his daughter. It is not exactly a ballad, however, because of the strong build up just before the second verse.
“Interlude: The Fifth Chamber” is successful on its own, with a beautiful symphonic arrangement, but it does not lead seamlessly into the next track, “1979,” as it should.
“1979” is an upbeat, acoustic guitar-driven track about reminiscing about the good times, as Madden sings No time can take away these memories / remember when you said to me / that we’d be all right.
“There She Goes” features more impressive vocals from Madden and a masterfully constructed bridge to make the song memorable.
“Right Where I Belong” is home to an intriguing orchestral opening before the rest of the instrumentals kick in. The song is all about redemption, with lyrics that include I don’t know where to begin / to say I’m sorry for my sins, and its chorus will undoubtedly get hands waving in the air.
Closing the record is the title track, “Cardiology,” which is an extended version of the 47-second introductory track, further reinforces the idea that Good Charlotte has come full circle with this record.
If there is any one album that can define Good Charlotte up to this point, it is Cardiology. It touches on all of the elements of its past repertoire while adding an increased eye for detail and finesse.
There are fun party songs but also mature tracks about love and spiritual struggle, meaning that the record captures almost every feeling across the emotional spectrum.
What this release will do for Good Charlotte’s fan base remains to be seen, but it’s hard to imagine that anyone from either of the two factions could listen to Cardiology without having a smile come across their face.
The reviewer is correct: Cardiology does show Good Charlotte has come full circle and in a very good way. The album is truly the best one they have ever released. If you are an old school fan, you’ll see songs that could easily have fit in with their debut titled album as well as Y & H. On the other hand, if you liked the later offerings, you will find that too. However, the best part of this album is simply that the boys finally made it back to the point so many artists never make it back to in their musical journey. They remembered why they made music in the first place and just had fun. Kudos to the writer and the paper for still upholding the ‘standard’ of enjoying life.
I remember when I was a freshman at USC in 2002, excited about the new GC album (The Young and the Hopeless) coming out on my birthday, Oct 1, as I had been a big fan of the self-titled. I stopped listening to GC after that album though. I agree with the reviewer that the first two albums garnered support, at least initially. I think it was after the second album that they started to become a “bad joke,” as Brian suggests. I didn’t realize they were still making new music, so thank you to the reviewer doing this review. I might check out the album to see if there really are elements present from their early albums, as the reviewer claims. I’m not holding my breath though.
It’s also weird to think that the many of USC students reading this article were barely in middle school when I was a USC freshman in 2002 when The Young and the Hopeless was released. So I’m sure their perspective of GC during that time period as a middle school student is much different than mine as a college student.
“Good Charlotte has seen much success over the years, beginning with its first two records that garnered much support from both the pop and punk communities.” Are you kidding? Good Charlotte is mostly seen as a bad joke these days. Surely there must have been some other band or album worthy of a review than these guys.
I don’t mean to come down on the writer, but more the paper itself for lowering standards.