Good Charlotte’s New Album, Not Good

Quinn Collins

Good Charlotte's Generation Rx

     Rocking out to some high energy pop punk was easy back in the 2000s and Good Charlotte was one of the bands responsible. Their hit album The Young and the Hopeless gave us some killer tracks to rock out to. I was hoping Good Charlotte could help revive this lost genre with their new album Generation Rx, but I’m afraid they missed the mark. The album begins with an eerie serenade that was quite unexpected. Pop punk is famously maligned for all sounding the same, but the opening track, and album’s namesake, proved Good Charlotte could break the mold. The opener transitioned perfectly into their second song, a classic sounding anthem that really did sound like the Good Charlotte I was hoping for… until the chorus. The singing sounded monotone and uninteresting. Good Charlotte is known for biting vocals that let you hear the singers emotions, but on this album, it felt like Joel Madden was just singing for his paycheck. At many points throughout the album they layered Joel’s voice several times, but instead of giving us the energy of multiple singers, it gave us the apathy and mediocrity of one singer amplified. Unfortunately the album gets worse from there. “Self Help,” “Shadowboxer,” and “Actual Pain” sounded annoyingly identical. They got worse with each track and really showcased Good Charlotte’s identity crisis. They didn’t want to abandon their original sound, but they also wanted to modernize. They were left with a watered down copy of the band Fall Out Boy that desperately needed an electric guitar and an energy drink. The song “Prayers” finally broke the curse and sounded different, but it lacked that frenetic energy that pop punk needs. Suddenly, as I began to give up hope, “Cold Song” rose from the ashes and revealed that Joel Madden could sing with emotion and the band could have a distinct but still exciting sound. The song moved me emotionally and I didn’t want it to end. But it did, and then we heard two more songs that tried to sound unique and exciting, but couldn’t make up for the disappointments previously. The final track of the album was another hidden gem. It wasn’t a perfect song but it sounded emotional, and well written. If Good Charlotte would have taken their four best songs and polished them, they could have made a solid EP that would attract new and old fans alike. But they didn’t, and they probably won't ever again. It hurts me to say this but, Good Charlotte’s not good anymore.