No Fun Mondays
No Fun Mondays | ||||
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Compilation album by | ||||
Released | November 27, 2020 | |||
Recorded | March–September 2020 | |||
Studio | Jingletown Studios, Oakland, California | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 40:21 | |||
Label | Reprise[3] | |||
Producer | Billie Joe Armstrong | |||
Billie Joe Armstrong chronology | ||||
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Singles from No Fun Mondays | ||||
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No Fun Mondays (stylized in all caps) is a compilation album of cover songs by Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, released on November 27, 2020. The project consists of 14 cover songs released during quarantine for the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the "No Fun Mondays" series of songs, in which Armstrong would release a cover song onto the Green Day YouTube channel every so often usually on a Monday as the title suggests.[3]
Recording and release
On March 23, 2020, Billie Joe Armstrong released the first song of the series, "I Think We're Alone Now", on the Green Day YouTube channel, announcing the series at the same time.[4] The description of the video reads "Dear friends.. While we've all been in quarantine I've been reflecting on the things that matter the most in my life. Family, friends and of course music. I recorded a cover of Tommy James and the Shondells "I think we're alone now" in my bedroom. I figure if we have to spend this time in isolation at least we can be alone together. Love BJ." The next week, a cover of "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory" was released and, a week after that, a cover of "Manic Monday" featuring a video appearance from Susanna Hoffs. On October 6, it was announced the series would be released as a 14-track album.[5]
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 68/100[11] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [6] |
Clash | 6/10[7] |
NME | [8] |
Punknews.org | [9] |
Rolling Stone | [10] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, No Fun Mondays received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 68 out of 100 from 7 critic scores.[11] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic calls the album "a bit of a lark, unexpected in its energy but not its contents."[6] Clash editor Robin Murray calls it "a real blast".[7], and Julie River of Punknews.org calls it "a pop-rocking good time."[9] At NME, editor Andrew Trendell says "Armstrong paints a pretty spot-on portrait of what it’s like to be alive in 2020, told through the hidden gems of his record collection and delivered with the heart and energy that you’ve always known him for."[8] Rolling Stone calls the album "a batch of fun covers"[10]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Think We're Alone Now" | Ritchie Cordell | Tommy James and the Shondells | 2:15 |
2. | "War Stories" |
| The Starjets | 2:42 |
3. | "Manic Monday" | Prince | The Bangles/Prince | 3:07 |
4. | "Corpus Christi" |
| Avengers | 3:24 |
5. | "That Thing You Do!" | Adam Schlesinger | The Wonders | 2:49 |
6. | "Amico" | Don Backy | 2:28 | |
7. | "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory" | Johnny Thunders | Johnny Thunders | 3:31 |
8. | "Kids in America" | Kim Wilde | 3:09 | |
9. | "Not That Way Anymore" | Stiv Bators | 2:53 | |
10. | "That's Rock 'n' Roll" | Eric Carmen | Eric Carmen | 2:59 |
11. | "Gimme Some Truth" | John Lennon | John Lennon | 2:48 |
12. | "Whole Wide World" | Eric Goulden | Wreckless Eric | 3:19 |
13. | "Police on My Back" | Edmond Grant | The Equals | 3:11 |
14. | "A New England" | Billy Bragg | Billy Bragg | 2:09 |
Total length: | 40:21 |
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of No Fun Mondays.[12]
Musicians
- Billie Joe Armstrong – vocals, guitar, bass guitar, and drums
- Chris Dugan – drums (tracks 4, 8, 9, and 11)
- Bill Schneider – bass guitar (track 8)
- Jason White – guitar (track 8)
Technical personnel
- Billie Joe Armstrong – production, engineering (including track 11), mixing (track 14), front cover photo
- Chris Dugan – mastering, mixing, engineering (tracks 4, 8, 9, 11)
- Chris Bilheimer – design
- Greg Schneider – design
- Stephen Walker – design
Charts
Chart (2020) | Peak position |
---|---|
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[13] | 20 |
Scottish Albums (OCC)[14] | 71 |
References
- ^ River, Julie (November 27, 2020). "Staff Review: Billie Joe Armstrong – "No Fun Mondays"". PunkNews.org. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
Armstrong found a way to make sound like 70s or 80s pop with a punk edge.
- ^ Cardinal, Evan (December 18, 2020). "Album Review: No Fun Mondays (November 27, 2020) – Billie Joe Armstrong". bctv.org. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
- ^ a b Yoo, Noah (October 6, 2020). "Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong Announces New Covers Album No Fun Mondays". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
- ^ Aubrey, Elizabeth (April 13, 2020). "Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong shares new 'No Fun Mondays' lockdown cover". NME. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
- ^ Blistein, Jon (October 6, 2020). "Billie Joe Armstrong to Release Quarantine Covers Album 'No Fun Mondays'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Billie Joe Armstrong – No Fun Mondays". AllMusic. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
- ^ a b Murray, Robin (November 26, 2020). "Billie Joe Armstrong – No Fun Mondays | Reviews". Clash. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
- ^ a b Trendell, Andrew (November 25, 2020). "Billie Joe Armstrong – 'No Fun Mondays' review: a snapshot of 2020 told through cover songs". NME. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
- ^ a b River, Julie (November 27, 2020). "Billie Joe Armstrong – No Fun Mondays". Punknews.org. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
- ^ a b "Quick Hits". Rolling Stone. December 2020. p. 70. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
- ^ a b "Reviews for No Fun Mondays by Billie Joe Armstrong". Metacritic. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
- ^ Armstrong, Billie Joe (2020). No Fun Mondays (liner notes). Reprise Records.
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(help) - ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2020. 49. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 12/04/2020". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 24, 2024.