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Foxboro Hot Tubs - Stop Drop and Roll!!!

So what to do when you’ve just given the leader of the free world the finger and become the voice of a disaffected generation in the process? For the punk-at-heart boys of Green Day, the answer seemed simple – secretly form a new band that would give them the freedom to head into any musical direction they pleased, without feeling obliged to have A Cause to play for.

So, does Foxboro Hot Tubs give Green Day licence to return to their irreverent Dookie days and contend with the new wave of punk popsters they have inspired? Thankfully, the answer is a definite “no”.

Where American Idiot was epic in scope and rather quite serious in tone, Stop Drop and Roll!!! sees the band having fun again, with a collection of infectiously cool rock songs that at once recall the smart pop sensibilities of The B-52s, Foo Fighters, Weezer and ‘60s surf rock, and conspires to connect them somehow.

With only two songs on the album nudging over the three minute mark, these songs are instantly likable and have just the right balance of personality, charm and delectable melodies, recalling that sun-drenched, Chevy-driving, burger-chowing adolescence you probably never had, but saw on The Wonder Years.

The only thing that gives the game away is Armstrong’s distinctive yelp-like vocal, which actually comes as a reassuring evidence of Green Day’s enduring influence on punk-pop as we know it today. But it’s even better to learn that they have far more interesting music to occupy themselves with these days.

- Shaheema Barodien
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