Good Riddance

Thoughts And Prayers

Written by: PP on 07/03/2020 06:51:14

The last Good Riddance album "Peace In Our Time" was a hard-hitting punk rock record that mixed in equal parts skate punk as it did hardcore punk. It was a great return to form and stands as a highlight in their discography. Their 9th album "Thoughts And Prayers" is not quite as heavy and metallic as its predecessor, instead leaning on a more melodic skate punk approach, taking us back to the golden years of the late 90s on tracks like "Don't Have Time".

It does this without sacrificing the band's trademark political lyrical universe. The record starts with a sample asking "you're not naive enough to think we're living in a democracy, buddy?", setting the tone for the rest of the record that rips into the modern state of America's society and political reality.

Nowhere else is this better depicted than on the brilliant "Our Great Divide", an infectiously catchy track that outlines the differences between the two sides in US politics today. It kicks off a brilliant segment of the record: "Wish You Well" is insanely catchy with its upbeat, pop punk-ish style though with darker vocals drawing parallels to the darker Sum 41 tracks, before upping the ante to Strung Out style high-octane technical skate punk towards the end of the song. And then we get "Precariat", a NOFX-style ripper about the dangers of the post-factual world. These are some of the best lyrics Russ Rankin has written:

We posture to prove that science regards our delusions, as phosphorous memories buried within our design. And as codes are redrawn with each breaking dawn, as we weary ourselves the task [...] in the absence of truth, our fallacies spread like a virus, to the edges of civilizations regarded as pure, and every breach in the fence, is the cowards defense to perpetuate and sterilize their lies, and the apoplectic scions linger on

It's Fat Wreck style skate punk through and through and one of the best Good Riddance tracks to date, even if it sounds like NOFX could have written it. And the band isn't done yet: the breakneck speed "No King But Caesar" is as hard-hitting as the band gets, showing no stylistical compromise, just delivering signature style Good Riddance material exactly as the fans want it.

"Thoughts And Prayers" is decorated throughout with mouthwatering riffs, high-energy vibes, politically charged lyrics, and tight instrumentation all packaged within two-and-a-half-minute bangers that circle around the stylistic output of NOFX, Lagwagon, Authority Zero, Strung Out, and Rise Against. As a whole, it is a guaranteed high five from the punk rock scene: fast, hard-hitting punk rock with infectiously catchy melodies throughout. While not quite as spectacular as the previous record, it's still a rock-solid Good Riddance record.

8

Download: Precariat, Our Great Divide, Wish You Well
For the fans of: NOFX, Lagwagon, Authority Zero, Strung Out, Rise Against
Listen: Facebook

Release date 19.07.2019
Fat Wreck Chords

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