Good Charlotte - Good Charlotte

If you've read my review for Good Charlotte Young and the not so Hopeless, you'll know that I haven't been a Good Charlotte fan since this album came out in September 2000. IN fact I bought The Chronicles of Life and Death first, then Young and the Hopeless then I bought this album. But even though I bought them in that order I still think that this album is great, although they have changed slightly. The lyrics are better, the music sounds better and they have grown up so the music is changing to what they are listening to - not what they are listening to when they were 20.

My personal favourites from this album are; Waldorf Worldwide (track 2), The Motivation Proclamation (track 3), East Coast Anthem (track 3), I heard you (track 9), The Click (track 10), Let me go (track 12) and the bonus track - which is on after Change - called Thank You Mom.

Track 1: Little Things
One of the first videos I saw from Good Charlotte on their Video Collection DVD. It opens the album up well. It starts with Joel (Vocals), stating that the song is dedicated to "every kid that got picked last in gym class, to every kid who never had a date to no school dance, to everyone who's ever been called a freak." I think that really includes everyone as nearly everyone ay least once in their lives has been called a 'freak'. It then launches into heavier guitars and drum - check the video out they play on golf carts in a High School. At the verses it calms down and when it gets to the verse it blows up again in guitars and drums. Awesome!! Great opening track 9 ½ /10

Track 2: Waldorf Worldwide
One of my favourite songs from the album. The song starts with one guitar and then other guitars and drums join in. At the verse it clams down and it quieter - but still rocky. When Joel sings the verse it turns into a bit of a rap - but not hip hop style. At the chorus it's heavier with guitars and drums. If you don't know where Waldorf is; it's where the twins were born in Maryland. 10/10

Track 3: The Motivation Proclamation
Before I start - and I know I keep saying this but - check the video out. The video starts off with all the guys lying on the floor and one by one they wake up, at the end they all get together and play the song together. They wake up and rock - amazing! This is a great song if your feeling tired and unmotivated - if I'm lying in bed and can't be bothered to get up, I sing this song (you didn't need to know that though). The song starts with just drums on their own and Joel singing the first verse. Then suddenly guitars join in and the result is awesome. This song is probably one of the rockiest and one of my close favourites. 10/10

Track 4: East Coast Anthem
This sounds quite rocky at the start, with one guitar. When the vocals start drums and other guitars join in. This song is basically about the guys coming from the east coast and that they will never be changed or forget where they came from, I think it sends out a message that you should never forget where you come from. I think its quite a good message and it speaks to me personally as I've moved round the world since I was 8. 10/10

Track 5: Festival Song
After the East Coast Anthem, I think you expect something a little less rocky - it's not what you get. This song launches into heavy guitars and drums at the start. It takes a while for the vocals to start - but they are as punchy as ever. Lyrically I think this song is about doing what you want with your life and not letting anyone tell you what to do with your life. I think it's personal for the band, with the lyrics "to get a real job and get back in line, you can say ill never be a millionaire, tell me this guitar won't get me anywhere", it really sort of speaks back at the people who have criticised them in the past, told them that they couldn't get anywhere with their dreams and that they should just go to University, have 2 cars and 2 children and end up being the same as everyone else, because its not good to be different. This song helps fans because it tells them not to do that and be an individual. 10/10

Track 6: Complicated
Not one of my favourites really. It's not rocky at the start but at the chorus it starts to get heavier but then it reaches it climax and goes calmer. I bit of a disappointment really. But still the lyrics are decent. I think this song is about their Dad leaving them as they are references to "You left us one little room with a black and white TV, One eviction notice and a bill for therapy, You're living all alone, you're like a dog without a bone, I said You're living all alone because you left us all at home, Well you had a second chance but you threw it all away, A fourth, a fifth, a sixth, but that was yesterday, Now you're sitting at a bar your just drowning in your tears, You're lonely in the corner, while everybody cheers.." 7/10

Track 7: Seasons
You think this song is really calm, as it starts off with an acoustic guitar and vocals, about "summer air reminds me of all the feelings of your love, and what it was like when we were together. (Oh) Walking all along a beach, you were never far from my reach and you held me through stormy weather. (Oh)". It stays with an acoustic guitar up until the chorus and it blows up with other guitars and drums and becomes so much rockier - Cool. I just love the chorus as it so funky and upbeat - lyrics are amazing too. It's one of my close favorites but not a top favorite though 9/10

Track 8: I Don't Wanna Stop
Starts with drums, and gets into a good beat. The vocals are good with the steady drum beat and a guitar in the background. Lyrics of "All these games you play your messin with my head (Your messin with my head) and I don't know why I stay I should leave instead (Should leave instead) When I speak from my heart you laugh like it's a game (Well this aint no game) Yea we make great friends but it just isn't the same". The chorus is great - more guitars, it's a bit heavier. I think it's quite a self - explanatory title.

Track 9: I Heard You
One of my favourites - I love this song! It launches straight into guitars and drums. When the verse starts it's just a good drum beat and a guitar in the background and then it comes back to the heavier drums and guitars - which I love. Lyrics are great; I think it would really help me if I was walking down the corridor and the person I fancied watched me "walk straight into the wall". Lyrics are really good, like "today I screwed up again, you said I could tell in the way you said goodbye, I saw you sitting at your t-shirt stand with your new boyfriend, he's really cool" and then nearly yelling "I GET THE POINT". Then launching into a great chorus. This song is about you liking someone but they're taken and they hate you and treat you like rubbish. But you still like them and stupidly do the stuff that you do around them. 10/10

Track 10: The Click
I think this song has quite a similar beat to "I Heard You". It's another song about not letting anyone put you down, you don't need to be part of the 'in' crowd to be happy - you can be yourself. Lyrics like "in crowd out crowd I don't care, Your crowd my crowd we can share, cuz I have found a planet to call my own", it's quite uplifting after a bad day. It's quite heavy at the chorus, but overall it's quite upbeat - you could call it a bit like pop music. 10/10

Track 11: Walk By
One guitar at the start and the odd drum beat then Joel shouts "Rock and Roll!" Then everything just gets quite rocky and then dies down for the verse. The chorus is quite rocky as the guitar and drums are heavier, with lyrics like "When she, Walks by, walks by, walks by, she walks on by". The song starts with lyrics talking about a girl that walks past and catches your eye, but the devil walks with her. Only problem is that your Mum has told you to stay away from girls like her. Quite upbeat. 9/10

Track 12: Let Me Go
It sounds quite heavy at the start of the song for the first few seconds. But it's quieter at the verse and goes back to being heavier at the chorus. It's quite a hard song to some up, but I guess it's about a young kid hanging out with someone but then one of the kids makes a decision to go but the other wont let go of them. 9/10

Track 13: Screamer
The song starts with one guitar that sounds like it in the background, but it gets louder and louder, drums join in and other guitars. It's quieter for the verse with just one guitar and drums. At the guitar it's a bit heavier but not much, the cool noise that was at the start comes back during the chorus. Lyrics are cool - along with the cool noise. 9/10
Track 14: Change - plus bonus track Thank You Mom
This song has to be my favorite on the whole album. It's not heavy; it's quite a relaxing song, you can find it on acoustic guitar on the internet somewhere I think - the version on the album isn't acousitc. Lyrics are awesome, "I hope I somehow get to you. I practiced all the things I'd say, To tell you how I feel, And when I finally get my chance, It all seems so surreal. Cuz from the first time I saw you, I only thought about you, I didn't know you, I wanted to hold onto the things you'd never say to me." - I think they might explain what the song is about. 9/10

Bonus track: Thank You Mom
It's a song about the twins Mum (Benji and Joel's Mum). Thanking her for everything she's done for them when their Dad left them, "You were my mom, you were my dad, the only thing I ever had was you, it's true And even when the times got hard, you were there to let us know...that we'd get through You showed me how to be a man, you taught me how to understand the things, people do You showed me how to love my God, you taught me that not everyone knows the truth And I thank you, I'll always thank you More than you could know, than I could ever show And I love you, I'll always love you There's nothing I won't do, to say these words to you That you will live forever Always, always and forever". It's not heavy at all; the music is a lot like Change - relaxing. It's an awesome song. 10/10