Good Charlotte

Good Charlotte - 2000

Good Charlotte's self-titled album is a mixture of pop/punk/ska/hip-hop tunes, and surprisingly heartfelt ballads. The five lads will do the punk-rock scene some good, and even bring variety to the music. The tracks are sung with an ammount of sincerity, as opposed to raucous adolescence like fellow punk rockers Blink 182.

All the tunes on the album are autobiographical. Major topics include social rejection, inadequacy and a troubled childhood. As quoted from the lead single "Little Things," "The rich kids had convertibles and we had to ride the bus/Like

the time we made the baseball team/But they still laughed at us/Like the time that girl broke up with me 'cause I wasn't cool enough."

Good Charlotte's recent rise to fame is mostly due to appearances on MTV's "Say What Karaoke" and "Instant Gratification," along with appearing on the soundtrack of teen comedy flick, "Dude, Where's My Car?"

Good Charlotte's influences go from The Clash to the Beach Boys, to Depeche Mode. It's not at all odd that Good Charlotte cannot be categorized into just one genre of music. Hybrid hip-hop/punk rock and a thank-you note set to music are styles included on the album. Joining them are riffs that clearly resemble early surf-pop music, and repetitive choruses glossed over with super-sweet pop melodies are sure to stick in your head for days.