REVIEW: Green Day – Dos!

Artist: Green Day
Album: Dos!
Genre: Punk(?)

In a perfect world there would be no pillars to fall from. Expectations would be modest and reasonable, directed to the task at hand. Take for example Green Day, who has spent the last 18 years living in the shadow of their best-selling album Dookie. The trio honestly shouldn’t be held to unrealistic expectations of recreating this iconic album. I mean, life happens right? Over the course of two decades people undoubtedly grow up, and their influences and inspirations shift. So logically, Billie Joe and company should in no way be expected to approach life (and consequent songwriting) in the same manner at 40 years of age as they did in their 20s. I mean seriously, think back to what monopolized your time in 1994. Are you spending your days doing the same thing now? If so, you should probably stop reading this review and Google “life coach.”

That said Green Day really took a Dos! with their latest release. Compiled of hookless tracks and soulless songwriting, the second installation of the ¡Uno! ¡Dos! ¡Tré! triplets triumphs as very little more than a B-sides album. Feeling phoned-in and uninspired, key moments of instrumentation are wasted on meaningless lyrics and half-assed efforts to crank out songs. One could safely assume while spinning this record that Green Day entered the studio with a goal of cranking out 3 albums worth of material and moved forward with quantity, not quality. Any single from any of the bands previous albums would stand out on this effort. There is not a single standout track to be found on Dos. The fact is that this album is one hundred percent throwaway.

“Stop When The Red Lights Flash” and “Lazy Bones” show sparks of a possible zombie Green Day takeover happening about halfway through the album, however, both tracks possess enough mundane and ignorable moments to mesh with the whole of the album. Overall, the problems with the album rest in the message.  At his best Billie Joe is both witty and wise. His tongue and cheek lyrics casually raise awareness to the clusterfuck of reasons we raise our middle fingers in this world. Dos!, however, appears rather apathetic.  Green Day’s attempts to spice up their music comes off like a tired lover too often bored with the routine of their bedroom escapades. Any attempt to break from the norm comes off as clumsy and awkward. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in change. I respect Green Day for having the courage to do whatever they want musically. If they made a country album, I’d probably buy it. I have never bought into the theory that shifting your sound is selling out.  In fact, the act of not making punk after being punk for your entire career because you no longer want to be punk IS fucking punk. Period.

Don’t believe me? Google: The Clash.

However, leaps of faith require careful landings. Songs like “Nightlife” are not going to cut it when making such a drastic change. With trite lyrics, mediocre rap skills and irritating similarities to porn music, the band falls short of a successful shift. This formula can be found throughout the disk.  “Wild One” is simple and uninteresting. “Fuck Time” is disappointing lyrically. The album as a whole is a flop.

One can only hope that Green Day have hoarded all of the key tracks for the release of Tré! in some fucked up Andy Kaufman ruse. In my opinion, that’s the only chance for them to save face from the disastrous shitmess that this release has caused.

SCORE: 2/10
Review written by: Joshua Hammond

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39 Responses to “REVIEW: Green Day – Dos!”

  1. I couldn’t even finish this one. People keep telling me Tre! will be better, but I heard the same thing about Dos! when complaining about Uno. Maybe I’ve just hit a different place in life (or maybe it really is as bad as Josh claims).

  2. Better than Uno, still not as good most of their older material – 8/10

  3. Altair_420 says:

    I liked almost half of Uno. About 2 or 3 songs off Dos. It feels rushed/forced.
    That sucks because I like EVERY song from albums 1039 slappy hours to American Idiot.
    21st century had a few good ones but as a whole sucked compared to american idiot.

    Time to go listen to brain stew and mourn the loss of a used to be kick ass band.

  4. Altair_420 says:

    Same here…………sigh

  5. Leave the guys alone, I am massive fan of 21st century breakdown, it’s one of my fave albums ever & I actually listen to Green Day’s new material more than the early albums! They are epic live & I can’t wait to hear Dos after Uno was fantastic.

  6. StaticNoise79 says:

    Completely disagree with the review. The album has a rawness to it, a kind of ‘this is what we’re all about’ type angle and I am really enjoying it. The pace is good, the bass lines are addictive, and the album sounds fun, quirky, and quite refreshing compared to their ‘rock-opera’ style of the past 8 years. Even the song ‘Nightlife’ actually fits in. On its own, it would be laughed at! Uno is a poor album. Too pop-punk, if that term even exists. Dos blows it out of the water. It is strange how fans wanted them to go back to their roots a bit more, and now it seems they have, in a way at least, some fans do not seem happy. Cannot please every one I guess!

  7. StaticNoise79 says:

    Listen to the album again. This intros to almost all of the songs are fast paced, aggressive and darn right rude. The intro to Lady Cobra is just superb. I liked 3 songs from Uno, but I actually like all of the songs from Dos. The only song I am disappointed with is Fu*ck Time. Give it a chance, try and forget about the past for the minute. Dos has returned my faith after Uno’s poor showing.

  8. StaticNoise79 says:

    I’ll go with that. They’ll never be as good when they first started, or as good as AI of course, but this album in an 8/10 for me too

  9. Dean Murphy says:

    Anybody else feel that, with a few alterations, this would’ve been more suited as a Foxboro Hottubs album? (Green Day’s side project for those not in the know)

  10. jbonvillern says:

    I thought Uno! was decent, it reminded me instantly of “Nimrod” and I am 34 years old. Notice they started the record off in the same chord/key as “Basketcase”? (d#) This was not a mistake–BOTH tracks 1 and 2 do this. The only track I really don’t care for is “Troublemaker” it IS a Foxboro song, and I don’t really give that CD much of a spin, SO….if Dos! is full of “Troublemaker” tracks I may have to pass.

  11. jbonvillern says:

    OK….so 2nd post. Just listened to the whole album on rollingstone.com. Its not that good. The first song I really liked was Ashley (Track 4). Lazy Bones is OK–I hear “Rock and Roll Radio” by the Ramones in there. At first I thought Lady Cobra was going to be the most edgy–sounds like “Fell in Love with A Girl” by the White Stripes. But I do really like “Nightlife” it feels good for them to do something that is such a departure….this is why I liked “Kill the DJ” off Uno! except for the gratuitous use of the work FUCK. “Amy” is OK, but not a standout by any means. Because you know who it’s about gives it a false sweetness and you want to like it. The rest is NO good. I will cont. to enjoy Uno! will pass on this CD, and wait for “True North” by Bad Religion. Watcho!

  12. Josh Hammond says:

    There is no way this is an 8/10 album. Hell DOOKIE was an 8/10 album when it was reviewed.

  13. Josh Hammond says:

    I want a return to their root. I do. Musically AND lyrically. I don’t know. You’re claiming this is them going home. I disagree. The rap song dude? You’re telling me that “Nightlife” and “Kill the DJ” are returns to glory?

  14. Josh Hammond says:

    Go read my review of Uno. I love them too. Possibly more than you do.

  15. Matthew says:

    So, I totally get where the reviewer is coming from here, and I have to go on record saying I have only heard “It’s Fuck Time” and “Stray Heart” off of this record.

    What I feel like this reviewer is missing is the big picture. Uno Dos Tre is totally a trilogy of albums (they’ve said as much themselves) and I feel like they should be looked upon as a set, much like American Idiot (the album, not the single) is a complete picture.

    What is that picture? For me, it’s a painting of the separation and disparity in the world right now. The changes from when Green Day started rocking, through the American Idiot years, and now. What’s new? What’s old?

    Uno was new. Dos is a throwback. Tre, from what Green Day has said, sounds like it’s the stadium anthem track album, so I think that’ll be a “things to come” painting.

    You have to (or you should) read The Two Towers to fully understand The Return of the King, and indeed the trilogy as a whole.

    Dos is important, as an album and as a part of a trilogy.

    On another note, too, these are all songs (again, from the two songs I’ve heard fully, and a few hints of other songs on the record) that sound like they’ll be awesome to play and to hear live. Green Day is a live band. I can’t wait to see them perform Dos.

  16. Josh Hammond says:

    I like the idea of this comment and will totally revisit this idea in my next review. I have yet to hear the third album, so it is hard for me to do this at this current time.

  17. StaticNoise79 says:

    Kill the dj is terrible. Along with a lot of Uno. Nightlife is different, granted, but it does fit. I guess I’m surprised you gave Uno a good review, whereas the Dos review is poor when musically it is so much better.

  18. StaticNoise79 says:

    Uno is tame compared to Dos. Very commercially biased. But this review does not reflect that

  19. StaticNoise79 says:

    No. There are hints of Foxboro in there but the music on Dos is much much better than that

  20. StaticNoise79 says:

    Dookie is a 9 for me :-)

  21. StaticNoise79 says:

    Troublemaker is the worst song they have ever made. Dos is absolutely nothing like this song. The whole album rocks. Fast paced, catchy melodies and aggressive intro’s. I’m going to stick it on again now to get my day going!

  22. 1.039 – 8
    Kerplunk – 8.5
    Dookie – 9.5
    Insomniac – 10
    Nimrod – 8.5
    Warning – 9
    Shennanigans – 8
    AI – 10
    21CB – 8.5
    Uno – 8
    Dos – 8

  23. Kill the DJ is the best song on the trilogy.

  24. junierizzle says:

    I read your Uno review and Id say we love GD about the same. Actually I guess I love them more because I completely disagree. I love both Uno and Dos. Im not exactly what you are expecting but I can alreadt tell you wont like Tre either based on the cuts Ive heard. You say time amd people change but you clearly havent, you still want Dookie 2.0. Why does ebryone think Dookie is the benchmark? A.I. Is. Theyll never top that but theyll still write good songs. And how can anyone claim a songwriter has no passion?

  25. junierizzle says:

    *everyone

  26. Josh Hammond says:

    This review expresses my opinion, not yours. That’s why.

  27. StaticNoise79 says:

    Fair shout dude. That’s cool.

  28. Josh Hammond says:

    That’s because musically I found more hooks and addicting quality in Uno. Dos is a shit mess both lyrically and musically.

  29. Josh Hammond says:

    I don’t want Dookie part two. I want Green Day part one. Green is the same band on Dookie AND American Idiot and everything between. This band sounds nothing like that.

    I think people forget when reviewing I’m not allowed to look at my undying bias and love of the band when writing. I simply look at the subject matter. I am underwhelmed.

  30. Bob says:

    Fuck this cunt

  31. Bob says:

    This little shit doesn’t know what he’s on about

  32. Josh Hammond says:

    Good to meet you too Bob.

  33. StaticNoise79 says:

    Come on man, no need for that. It’s his opinion. Respect it. We all have something in common, we are all Green Day fans. Next year we’ll all be seeing them live somewhere, where they’re at their best.

  34. Josh Hammond says:

    Respect man. Thanks bro.

  35. junierizzle says:

    Sounds like the same band to me. Revisit their library. They’ve always had fast songs, mid-tempo songs, balads, funny songs, etc. They have been doing the same thing since the beginning, the songs just got better. Can you honestly tell me Sasafrass roots is better than anything on UNO and Dos? People seem to only recall Basketcase and Welcome to paradise when they think of Dookie.
    I’m curious, who do you think is making creative and passionate rock music these days?

  36. jimmyjamz says:

    Dos is a great album. Stop looking for a glossed over Dookie! Dos is a great follow to Uno, moving toward what I expect to be a climax in Tre. Perhaps there were so many possibly usable tunes on the new project that they decided to release a roughly hewn trilogy instead of cutting the work into a single, more “produced,” effort. RAW and engaging! I appreciate the diversity in direction that this album introduces…

  37. Rosie Rockit says:

    I would totally bang you based on the awesomeness of this review. For the record, I agree with you. This album just came off to me as rather uninspired and “filler”. It’s like they keep trying to find a middle ground between their early “raw” sound and the more current stadium rock styles and it just comes off as a mediocre version of themselves.

  38. Alicia Rice says:

    acutally the band did say that Dos was suppose to be like another Foxboro record.