9. A Comprehensive Guide to Moderne Rebellion (1996)

So why does Good Riddance’s sophomore album receive bottom billing out of their entire discography? This album is probably considered a classic amongst many of the band’s fans and it certainly contains the classic sound that GR has established for themselves — politically charged lyrics sung to music played at a breakneck speed. This record receives the ranking it does because it lacks a solid grasp of melody and hooks (the most out of all GR albums at least). Also, out of their 9 records, this one arguably has the most forgettable songs and the only album with 2 songs that are just objectively bad (“West End Memorial” and “Sky is Falling”). Despite its negative aspects, if you enjoy other Good Riddance albums, you’re probably going to like this one too as their sound never strays too far from the source.

Recommended Tracks: Steps, Last Believer, and Weight of the World

8. Ballads From the Revolution (1998)

Much like A Comprehensive Guide to Moderne Rebellion, Good Riddance’s 3rd album Ballads From the Revolution is mostly made up of no-nonsense straightforward punk songs. Most of the songs on the record clock in right around the 2 minute mark and the tempo rarely changes from track to track, with drummer Sean Sellers often coming across as if he’s attempting to beat some sort of drum speed record. Sprinkled amongst the in-your-face political songs is a few more earnest personal/love songs. While these songs are fine on their own, in the context of the album you may find them a bit jarring — or at least I did.

Recommended Tracks: Salt, Not with Him, and State Control

7. Operation Phoenix (1999)

Operation Phoenix understandably carries along in much the same vein as GR’s previous 2 records. Still lightning fast and still abundantly political, but this time around the recording get a bit more of a polished treatment and begins to have the sound that will proceed on the rest of their albums. Like the previous 2 records, this album’s ranking is at a lower position for lacking much of any really “stand out” tracks. Taken as a whole, there isn’t much to really complain about other than the songs have a high chance of feeling like they blend together — which also reduces the record’s replay-ability. Of note, this was the last album featuring drummer Sean Sellers for 7 years, before he came back on My Republic.

Recommended Tracks: Letters Home, The Hardest Part, and Article IV

6. Peace in Our Time (2015)

The comeback record after a 9 year break (at the time it was announced to be a permanent breakup), the band even recorded an album to commemorate their “last show”. Being that they had announced they were “done”, it was quite a surprise when they announced they were back together and recording a new album. Overall, this record feels like it tries to go in a return-to-roots direction with more no-nonsense fast punk songs and less a focus on melody or harmony. While the album received an overall positive response from fans, I felt it was a tad underwhelming considering the output they were releasing directly prior to the breakup. Luckily, there’s still some great songs to be found on this record and it serves to enhance their legacy rather than hurt it.

Recommended Tracks: Our Better Nature, Grace and Virtue, and Running on Fumes

5. Thoughts and Prayers (2019)

If I’m ranking their albums by title, this one would probably get first place — it’s perfectly topical while still still feeling timeless at the same time. This is the first (only) Good Riddance record to be released during the Trump era so it unsurprisingly addresses many of the issues created by his administration, albeit without ever necessarily name-dropping. Where Peace in Our Time was a return to their roots, this record introduces more melody and vocal harmonizing while still retaining most of the previous releases’s energy. Towards the third part of the album we even get to hear the band explore a few new twists on their formula which, for the most part, turns out really well. Since this is a new record, it still might move around some in the rankings given more time, but right now 5th place seems like the best position.

Recommended Tracks: Edmund Pettus Bridge, Requisite Catastrophes, and No Safe Place

4. Symptoms of a Leveling Spirit (2001)

This is the first of 2 albums to feature Dave Wagenshutz (Kid Dynamite/Lifetime) on drums and it seems like this is also the album that really started to push the band in a new, more structured direction. The focus becoming less about playing as fast as possible and more about concentrating on the melody, which is heard clearly on one of my favourite Good Riddance songs “Yesterday’s Headlines”. Wagenshutz, as a drummer, I feel doesn’t get enough credit for what he was able to add to the band. Even though he’s capable of playing at the same breakneck speed and technicality as Sean Sellers, he brings a very particular finesse and signature to the group’s songs, helping to amplify the quality of the already high calibre song-writing. Despite a lack of central focus on speed, this record is far away from being a snooze-fest, but it’s also much more than a by-the-numbers political punk record too. There’s room given within and between the songs to add depth and allow the listener to better enjoy the ebb and flow of the album’s structure. If nothing else, this album has one of favourite lines from any GR song — “hate is the stillborn child of ignorance and boredom”. Intelligent and succinct, pretty much the definition of Good Riddance.

Recommended Tracks: Yesterday’s Headlines, Libertine, and Trial of the Century

3. For God and Country (1995)

Good Riddance clearly came out the gate hot with their debut record. An album that meshes the wide-eyed innocence of youth with lyrics that are on par with far more mature counterparts. For the most part, the majority of GR’s albums work cohesively as a whole, but For God and Country is a record that really shines through its individual tracks. The songs here still sound as fresh today as when they were written — something that is far from a simple task for most bands. At its worst, the record contains a few very forgettable songs, but the standout tracks make it all worthwhile. Several of the songs on this record are responsible for making me a fan of the band in the first place and for that it reason alone it will always have a high benchmark.

Recommended Tracks: Mother Superior, United Cigar, and All Fall Down

2. My Republic (2006)

My Republic proved to be a really difficult in deciding where exactly to place it in the rankings. At its worst it is around 4–5, but the strength of its best songs helped propel it all the way to a rank of #2. I think this album probably has the most slick production of any of GR’s records, which is a trait that likely turned off many of the older fans. That, coupled with the fact that several of the songs are slower and more introspective — utilizing more melody in lieu of in-your-face hardcore intensity, probably has this record at the bottom of many lists. Originally I was also disappointed by the seeming lack of energy the record conveys, but over time I’ve really begun to build a lot of appreciation for it.

Recommended Tracks: Darkest Days, Texas, and Rise and Fall

1. Bound By Ties of Blood and Affection (2003)

This is Good Riddance at their absolute peak. I truly believe this record finds the band bringing out their absolute best qualities in every way and on (almost) every song. The little drum fills provided by Wagenshutz’s signature style give the album a very unique feel that separates it from the other records. The tones on the bass and guitar additionally give the record a heavier, more menacing sound which makes each song sound particularly powerful. There’s a somewhat noticeable distinction between the beginning, middle and end of the record that isn’t as defined on their other records. The start of the record is more reminiscent of their faster, direct approach while the outro tracks find themselves heavily concerned with melody, but it’s the center of the record that is the real treasure — that’s where the substance of the record can be found. These midway songs have an angry, almost frenzied impatience to them unlike songs on any of their other albums. Although it’s unlikely the band will ever recapture this sound again on future records, I’ll always hold my breath and wait for a Bound By Ties of Blood and Affection part II whenever there’s news that Good Riddance is releasing a new record.

Recommended Tracks: Black Bag Confidential, The Dubious Glow of Excess, and Paean to the Enlightenment