Stop Drop And Roll!!!

Foxboro Hot Tubs

Reprise, 2008

http://www.foxborohottubs.com

REVIEW BY: Benjamin Ray

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 02/27/2013

Once a band has made their Big Album, their Important Statement, they tend to find themselves at a crossroads. Do you try to rewrite it and hope lightning strikes twice? Do you tweak the formula a bit? Do you throw a complete curveball? Either way, the pressure is on.

Green Day chose the latter of those three options. American Idiot had been a phenomenon, a grand musical statement, a darn fine rock record that netted some Grammys. Following it up was going to be difficult, and so to clear their heads and possibly get back to their punk/garage roots, the band renamed themselves Foxboro Hot Tubs and bashed out this 12 song set in 2008.my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

The entire exercise is clearly the work of a band unwinding, having fun, and playing variations on the music they heard growing up, mostly likely in their parents’ vinyl collections. The songs sound straight out of the late ‘60s British Invasion; the time-period cover art and three minute length of each song is clearly meant to imply this could be listened to next to the Kinks, the Animals, and the Monkees without any hesitation.

For the most part, it succeeds, especially on the second half of the disc. The songs are simple, only a handful of chords and pretty basic instrumentation, the way good garage rock was meant to be played, the way Green Day started out way back in the early ‘90s. It’s pretty much the opposite of American Idiot, which is not a bad thing inasmuch as it showcases the fun pop side of the band. Older listeners unfamiliar or inclined to dislike these guys would do well to start here and then work their way through the catalog.

“Mother Mary” was the single and is fine, but “Sally” and “Alligator” are the clear highlights, recalling the Monkees’ “Stepping Stone” and the Kinks “You Really Got Me,” respectively, but sounding fresh and modern. “27th Ave. Shuffle” has a bit of a Stones vibe and “Dark Side Of Night” uses a flute to positive effect, recalling a Yardbirds/Moody Blues vibe. The closing “Pieces Of Truth” is another highlight with slight surf-rock overtones; it closes out this 34-minute affair with a punch.

Make no mistake, these are not copies of songs, but more an homage to the musical time period. Stop Drop And Roll!!! is a breezy, fun listen by a band needing to stretch out and unwind. Because of this, as well as a few of the shrug-inducing songs on the first half, the whole project is slightly inconsequential…but Billie Joe and the boys are having too much fun to care, and that makes this one a success.

Rating: B

User Rating: Not Yet Rated


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