Inviting us into their imaginary hotel, Maryland veterans Good Charlotte get wholesome, collaborative and occasionally gritty – while making sure they spell out the ‘pop’ in pop-punk…
Fresh coffee, swimming pool and an ice machine? Good Charlotte’s Motel Du Cap appears to tick all the right boxes – especially when narrated by the hearty Tennessee twang of voice actor Marcus Anderson. For their first album in seven years, the Maryland pop-punk icons have booked us a room at this temporary utopia, based on their 2022 visit to Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc in the south of France. Crucially, everyone is welcome, with one key instruction that Good Charlotte have always embodied: ‘Come on in, and start dreaming.’
You’ll remember the young Madden twins, bassist Paul Thomas and guitarist Billy Martin firing plenty of jabs at the rich and famous. But they’ve had their own seats at pop-punk’s VIP table for over two decades, growing into warm, family-oriented individuals and business partners along the way. This album is Good Charlotte’s love letter to that story so far – the wins, the wobbles and everything in between.
Spoiler alert: there’s a fairytale ending. Given this context, Motel Du Cap is littered with pure pop ballads, and strings-fuelled I Don’t Work Here Anymore is the first to immediately latch onto your memory. But by the time Castle In The Sand and GC Forever roll around, the bottomless pit of positivity feels more like a eulogy than a celebration. This isn’t their final album, is it?
Collaborators keep the record on its toes, notably US rap icon Wiz Khalifa, who pumps aura into the slightly corny, laid-back Life Is Great. Men of the moment Jordan Fish and Zakk Cervini quietly pull the production strings. When harmonising with Joel, fellow Maryland prodigy Zeph perfectly matches the bittersweet alt. pop energy to Pink Guitar.
Motel Du Cap excels when it flirts with sounds outside of the typical GC universe. It doesn't quite have a knockout anthem to rival, ahem, The Anthem – although the nuclear swagger of Bodies and lead single Rejects give it a good shot. Nevertheless, Good Charlotte’s refusal to rest on their laurels while letting their present-day brotherhood dominate proceedings makes for a commendable mix, reminding the world why there’s still plenty left in their tank.
Verdict: 4/5
For fans of: State Champs, LØLØ, Thirty Seconds To Mars
Motel Du Cap is released on August 8 via Atlantic Records. Get your exclusive album and poster bundle now.
