As the first volume of a projected three-album set being released in two-month intervals, ¡Uno! starts with the anthem "Nuclear Family." Old punks will note that the track recalls the punk schematic of The Clash's "Safe European Home." Green Day has never been shy about revealing its excellent taste in music, and if turning 40 has the band members reaching back for an extra push and singing "Carpe Diem," then it's also focused them on making tight, powerful pop songs with distorted guitars guiding the way. After the rock operas American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown, Billie Joe Armstrong was determined to get back to the band's punchy beginnings, where three minutes can tell a whole story. In light of Armstrong's personal woes, songs like "Let Yourself Go" and "Loss of Control" take on added weight. Most surprising is the reggae/dance groove of "Kill the DJ," where Green Day finds its way onto a dance floor with a few moves of its own. The deluxe version includes four videos of tracks from the album.
Other Versions
- The Longshot
- Foxboro Hottubs
- The Network