Back in 2012, Green Day released a trio of albums: ¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, ¡Tre! These three albums came as a way for the band to reinvent their image after they had such success with album, American Idiot. Unfortunately this pressure led lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong to spiral into alcohol and drug abuse that eventually lead to his melt down at the iHeartRadio Awards.

After that cringe worthy event Billie Joe checked into rehab and received the treatment he desperately needed. As the years passed, Green Day slowly found their strength and created their new album; Revolution Radio. Self produced and stripped bare and without the past need for reinvention Revolution Radio shows how the band members came to terms with their inner demons. Of course, it wouldn’t be Green Day if today’s issues weren’t addressed throughout the album. Class warfare, terrorism, racial tensions, along with the hectic 2016 election are all touched upon. Revolution Radio is Green Day’s most personal album in almost a decade.

Starting off with the most icon line in the entire album “I’m running late to somewhere I don’t want to be”. A simple boredom that can only be understood by those who have experienced it. The simple melody builds and the tone darkens as Tré Cool and Mike Dirnt take control. The song then morphs into a war cry (and order) to stop killing time.

“Bang Bang” does a complete 180 and addresses the issue of the mass shooter complex and America’s uncanny ability to produce the most. With a repetitive beat that will have anyone screaming along, Billie Joe sings in point of view of a mass shooter. The next song morphs to address, though not explicitly stated, the Black Lives Matter movement. “Testify for the life that’s been deleted” and “Sing, like a rebel’s lullaby/Under the stars and stripes/For the lost souls that were cheated,” the connection is obvious.

However not all of the songs on the album contain political undertones. “Bouncing Off The Walls” is a full swagger rock song that provides an interesting deterrent in the middle of the album. “Still Breathing” goes on to lighten the mood as Billie Joe exclaims loudly “I’m still breathing on my own.” The entire song is a way to explain to the public that he is back and standing on his own two feet.

Revolution Radio then morphs to a giant thank you to both Billie’s wife and the life he has lived. “YoungBlood” written for his wife, thanks her for sticking by him and having the patience of “Miss Teresa”. The last song on the album “Ordinary World” is a slow melody that is about the simple love between two people. As Billie Joe sings, “Baby, I don’t have much/But what we have is more than enough” any listener knows that he has accepted himself and his life.

The album is filled with the political turmoil and the inner struggles of Billie Joe Armstrong. Even without the same fuss as past albums such as Dookie or American Idiot, Revolution Radio is one any Green Day fan in 2016 can enjoy.