In the last decade, punk rock legends Green Day have tried to reconstruct themselves through triple-part albums, side projects, monikers, and mining back into what got them here in the first place. This has led us to Father of All… The group’s 13th album was released on February 7th. The 10-song album is one of the shortest albums released by the group coming in at just over 26 minutes long.
On Father of All… fun is what Green Day is after. They have hit more serious issues on past albums but now it’s time to grow old and channel some spirited energy that makes you want to keep on living. 2020’s Green Day defies expectations. Many of the previously released singles, like the album opener “Father of All…” and the following track “Fire, Ready, Aim,” features Billie Joe Armstrong in falsetto and stripped-down production, a clear nod to earlier punk. These tracks are a departure from almost everything Green Day has released in the last 10 years, which have usually been much more produced pop-like arrangements, often including several vocal layers, harmonies, and string sections, making tracks seem fuller and less garage-like. The third single “Oh Yeah!” notably borrows the chorus from Gary Glitter’s ’70s hit “Do You Wanna Touch Me?.” “I Was A Teenage Teenager” is an anthem for middle-aged dreamers, discussing the theme of the life and death of the party and the days of living a life of being carefree.
Father of All… will likely not change the world or win album of the year, but that doesn’t seem to be what Green Day finds most important anymore. In other words, they’ve left the revolution at home and are instead finding new ways to grow and protect both their own legacy and one bigger than themselves. Father of All… is a solid album that shows not only their mastery of sound but also nods to the greats that came before them.
In September, the band played a surprise show at the Whiskey a Go Go in California alongside Fall Out Boy and Weezer to announce their upcoming tour the “Hella Mega Tour,” which will be hitting major stadiums across the United States this summer.
Hella Mega Tour Dates w/ Fall Out Boy and Weezer
June 13, 2020 – Paris, France @ La Defense Arena
June 14 – Groningen, Netherlands @ Stadspark
June 17 – Antwerp, Belgium @ Sportpaleis
June 21 – Vienna, Austria @ Ernst Happel Stadium
June 24 – Glasgow, Scotland @ Bellahouston Park
June 26 – London, England @ London Stadium
June 27 – Huddersfield, England @ The John Smith’s Stadium
June 29 – Dublin, Ireland @ RDS Arena
July 17 – Seattle, WA @ T-Mobile Park
July 21 – San Francisco, CA @ Oracle Park
July 24 – San Diego, CA @ Petco Park
July 25 – Los Angeles, CA @ Dodger Stadium
July 28 – Commerce City, CO @ DICK’s Sporting Goods Park
July 31 – Arlington, TX @ Globe Life Field
August 1 – Houston, TX @ Minute Maid Park
August 5 – Miami, FL @ Hard Rock Stadium
August 6 – Jacksonville, FL @ TIAA Bank Field
August 8 – Atlanta, GA @ SunTrust Park
August 11 – Minneapolis, MN @ Target Field
August 13 – Chicago IL @ Wrigley Field
August 15 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PNC Park
August 16 – Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium
August 19 – Detroit, MI @ Comerica Park
August 21 – Washington, DC @ Nationals Park
August 22 – New York, NY @ Citi Field
August 24 – Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre
August 27 – Boston, MA @ Fenway Park
August 29 – Philadelphia, PA @ Citizens Bank Park