Good Riddance
Peace In Our Time

Ambiguity is an intrinsic phenomenon connected to textuality and communication. The linguistic heritage varies from individual to individual, which means that the meaning one person attributes might not correspond to the interpretation given by another.

It is to be excluded that Russ Rankin, when he founded the Good Riddance back in 1986, could have imagined finding himself with a name that became media dominion for different reasons due to the homonymy with a cheerful song by a famous Berkeley group, a decade later. It was them who, in the same period, released that concentrated frothy and ignorant anger that was "Operation Phoenix." Truly the antithesis, far from the antechamber of snug little salons with reflective and iridescent mirrors ready to use and cigars stuffed with banknotes.

Now, setting aside the chatter and perhaps without trumpet blasts, the real Good Riddance have returned, and after various tours, in which they restarted their engines, this year they have permanently engaged with "Peace In Our Time" after 9 years from the previous "My Republic."

After careful listens, it can be judged as an intelligent album, knowing where to strike with style, without overdoing it (after all, they're not A Wilhelm Scream!) and knowing how to shift gears to let one catch their breath when needed.

14 tracks total 26 minutes and 58 seconds, averaging 2 minutes per song. The stopwatch is something objective, it never lies.

The nervous guitar lines of Luke and the skins agitated by trusty Sean Sellers open "Disputatio." There's tension, there's speed, there's Russ's rough but melodic voice... their trademark is all here. "Contrition" is a bitter disillusioned bite shot at the speed of a high-speed train, also aided by a terribly catchy chorus and the final solo that tugs at the heart and climbs the charts.

We were talking about an album with ratio and here comes "Half Measures" and its more fragile sister "Grace And Virtue" that keep the tension yet manage to temper the fervor of the other tracks.

Then other smashes like "Dry Season" with its bleeding bridge and an adrenaline-pumping "No Greater Fight," a reflection on today's times and an invitation to act now before it's too late and ensure a future for our children. All this to remind us in 2015 of the merit of the proposal and the glam uselessness of Strung Out.

But the Good Riddance, despite the lyrics, also have a more conciliatory and polished side that manages to remind one of a great seminal band like the Descendents on "Washed Away." It's no coincidence that behind this work stands a guru like Bill Stevenson, of whom no biographical mention is needed here.

I read around how "My Republic" has been labeled by some as too melodic and thus their worst...heresy!

Now the point is essentially one: you need to know what you are looking for.
Good Riddance are essentially stage animals, so the message surely counts more than the form and songs ready and packaged to be memorized for concerts.

"Peace In Our Time" is the pick that unlocks the lock, finding the right compromise between lyrics and anger and a fair, but never excessive dose of sing-along. That's enough to keep them on the tower.

Sincerity is a virtue that should be rewarded.