Good Charlotte Still Stuck Between Maturity and Adolescence

In 2002, Good Charlotte achieved national fame with their single, “Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous” which was broadcasted by radio stations all across the United States. They soon achieved these very same lifestyles, as photos of brothers Joel and Benji Madden graced the pages of magazines and tabloids alongside Hollywood regulars like Nicole Richie. Good Charlotte fit the pop-punk mold perfectly despite their success, and their ever-angsty lyrics became popular among teens and young adults alike. Their latest release “Cardiology” provides both the typical pop-punk vibe that has become expected of the band since their first album, as well as a sound that moves away from this genre. It offers a transition towards a darker, more solid rock sound with pop infusions. Though this musical growth is a welcome change, most of the band’s lyrics flag behind the maturation of their sound.

The third track “Counting the Days” strikes the right musical balance between being reminiscent of the sound that brought Good Charlotte their fame and showing their development as a band. Propelled by a simple, catchy melody, the band achieves a full, complete sound that flows through the entire track. The inclusion of echoing lyrics with a stadium effect also calls back older hit songs such as “The Anthem.” Though the song shows musical growth, the lyrics fail to do the same. “Ever since I saw you, there was no one else / Just you and me / You’re all that I could see” dwells on the same topic of unrequited love that Good Charlotte were singing about 14 years ago.

Other songs serve as evidence that Good Charlotte aren’t quite ready to move on from the lyrical themes of partying, youth, and girls. “Like It’s Her Birthday” indulges in old sounds but amps up the complexity with funkier guitars. Yet the lyrics once again fail to show any maturity or growth. “She’s so wasted, acting crazy / Making a scene like it’s her birthday / Drinking champagne, going insane / Falling on me, like it’s her birthday.” “Last Night” falls into the same trap. It offers unique riffs in the beginning, and strays further away from typical punk pop as the band experiments with synthesizers, but like on the former, the lyrics don’t keep up with the musical maturation. Madden sings, “Can’t remember what happened / Did it happen, last night? / I woke up this morning / Where’s my car, where’s my keys / Where’s my clothes? / But I think I just had the best night of my life.”

Though most of Good Charlotte’s new songs still recall high-school angst, the band does give a more introspective look at growing up in a few of their tracks. On “Harlow’s Song (Can’t Dream Without You),” “Standing Ovation,” “1979,” and “Right Where I Belong,” Good Charlotte make themselves more vulnerable by exploring new themes that are more relevant to where they are in their lives. These lyrics are a far cry from the other songs that are driven by a sense of youthful narcissism. “Harlow’s Song” is a heart-felt dedication to lead singer Joel Madden’s daughter, Harlow. It showcases a softer tone in Madden’s vocals as well as a more sensitive side of Good Charlotte’s songwriting that the band has not expressed in their previous work.

“Cardiology” concludes with its title track, which starts quietly with choral harmonies in the background. Sound effects subdue Joel Madden’s voice. Unlike many of the other songs on this album, this song is not powered by drums or a catchy bass line. There is an eerie effect similar to the sound of someone breathing through an oxygen mask in the background. Lyrics such as, “Cardiology is guiding you and me / Direction, history, and new technology / Cardiology is a mystery / Is there a formula that could possibly explain / What can feel so good / And bring you so much pain?” suggest that the band members have grown over the span of their fourteen years in the music industry. This maturation is shown consistently throughout the album in its musical progress, yet some of the lyrics show nothing of the kind. “Cardiology” seems to be the product of a band unable to mediate between their discoveries as adults and their obligations to a youthful audience.