Released 8 August

Atlantic Records

2000s pop punk royalty Good Charlotte haven’t released an album in seven years and it’s quite the gap for a band of their tenure. With other side projects, family life and mentoring the next generation of acts taking lead, Good Charlotte as a band has kind of taken a step back. But Joel and Benji Madden, alongside guitarist Billy Martin and bassist Paul Thomas, are swinging back in hopes to regain their crown in the scene on the band’s eighth studio album, Motel Du Cap. Prepare yourselves because it is an emotional rollercoaster.

Once you check-in to the Motel Du Cap, you are introduced with the 2002 blast from the past of ‘Rejects‘. Echoing their former selves, ‘Rejects‘ sees Joel and Benji jump back in swiftly with blistering energy and thundering drums. ‘Stepper‘ keeps that momentum alive, dialling up the tongue-in-cheek charm reminiscent of ‘Girls & Boys‘. Yeah, you heard what I mean. “She’s a- fashion killer, she’s a- reall thrillerrr…” It comes swinging out of nowhere and suddenly you’re dusting off your old Vans.

While ‘I Don’t Work Here Anymore‘ lowers the tempo to a chill acoustic which I can only imagine will sound beautiful in a small studio setting, the sonic sound here is empowering. Joel’s vocals soar over that “I hate my day job” mentality. This is made for every millennial over the age of thirty, who’re stuck in that day job grind. It’s a softer gut punch, a gentle reminder not to bury your dreams; honestly, don’t be surprised if this one sparks a few resignation emails. ‘Life is Great‘ paints the dream life you’ll be living as you light up that third joint of Mary Jane as you celebrate that newfound freedom. But while Wiz Khalifa’s signature laidback vibe adds to that stoner energy, the track lacks any oomph compared to what we’ve heard so far and it feels like the party’s taken a weird shift.

‘Pink Guitar’ on the other hand, dials the energy back up to an 8 with its playful and irresistible melody. Delivering a daydream anthem about picking up that guitar and chasing that rush, it’s a song that pits itself right next to what is blaring out your speakers from 2025’s pop punk playlist. Think of this as the sweet, slightly naive little sister to ‘Riot Girl‘; but don’t underestimate her, she’s still got a hook sharp enough to stick.

Slow burn country meets pop punk on ‘Deserve You‘ and it makes you picture Joel and Benji trading riffs in a dimly lit honky tonk in downtown Nashville. It’s cute, heartfelt and more than a little unexpected, but it’s proof of the band’s evolution and their willingness to step outside of the moshpit. At its core though, it is a love song that wears its maturity like a well-worn denim jacket.

The punky guitars get loud and punchy on ‘Mean‘ as the band tap back into some familiarity. It’s the kind of sad emo break up anthem of that feels like Good Charlotte are back swinging. It gets even better with ‘Bodies‘ as an edgy electronic beat drives the absolute beating heart of last night’s dance floor anthem. Flirting with a 5SOS vibe, Good Charlotte instinctively use their wisdom and take back the reigns of the genre. The result is an instant bop.

If you thought ‘Rejects‘ was huge, wait ’til your ears come across ‘Vertigo‘. This one dives deep into the 2000s vault, returning a blistering combination of pop punk that no other band (except maybe Simple Plan) can concoct. It’s all rapid-fire riffs, shout-along hooks and drums that hit like they’ve been saving up two decades of adrenaline. By the final chorus, life feels whole again.

‘The Dress Rehearsal‘ drop the energy back to a 2, trading amps for acoustic rock. It aims to celebrate those small, fleeting moments, like holding your son for the first time, and for parents it’ll likely hit hard. For me though, it didn’t land as the same punch as ‘I Don’t Work Here Anymore‘. While beautiful in sentiment, it felt like the weakest moment of the album. Continuing this beauty was ‘Castle in the Sand‘, with Joel singing about growing old with his lady. That homely melody harks back to ‘Harlow’s Song‘ from Cardiology days.

The album’s final track, ‘GC FOREVER‘, was made for the diehards. By the end of this track, tears were slowly gathering in my eyes, because the band’s journey isn’t just a story, it’s a feeling. Their dreamer mentality has always been something I strive to live my own life; how they came from hard days and made it to the lifestyles of the rich and famous hits deep. It’s the kind of anthem that reminds you that while it may just be a pipedream to many, if you’re willing to fight for it, anything’s possible.

While Motel Du Cap is stylistically an evolved new chapter from Good Charlotte, at the same time, it’s the return we lowkey knew was coming. Like I said, this record takes you on an emotional rollercoaster. Through blistering highs and moodier lows, this record sees the pop punk kings comfortably return to the spotlight; and it honestly feels like they never left.

Rating: 8/10

Review by Tamara May

Stream/Listen to Motel Du Cap here

Good Charlotte – Motel Du Cap tracklisting:

1. Check-in at Motel Du Cap

2. Rejects

3. Stepper

4. I Don’t Work Here Anymore

5. Life is Great (featuring Wiz Khalifa)

6. Pink Guitar (featuring Zeph)

7. Deserve You (featuring Luke Borchelt)

8. Mean

9. Bodies

10. Vertigo (featuring Petti Hendrix)

11. The Dress Rehearsal

12. Castle in the Sand

13. GC FOREVER