Pop punk lifers Good Charlotte are back in the game with their first full-length in seven years. Titled Motel Du Cap, their eighth album is due out on August 8 via Atlantic, though the record’s first single, “Rejects,” is streaming now.
The new tune embraces a classic pop punk formula–specifically, a clean, arpeggiated guitar intro that explodes into a punchy, power chord chorus. When Rolling Stone‘s Maya Georgi said to Joel Madden during a new interview that the song was “energetically and sonically” similar to Good Charlotte’s early material, he replied, “You’re feeling that exactly right.”
“I don’t even think ‘Rejects’ is necessarily the most obvious single type song, but it’s the one we feel like people should hear first,” he continued. “We think it’s a really great start and a representation of the record and the music.”
About some of the darker subject matter, like the line “Sometimes I wish I wasn’t born at all,” he added, “I am not suicidal and, thank God, I’m not depressed. But I’ve had times in my life where I was, and I had to figure that out, and it was a lot of work to figure out my own mental health and self-esteem. I’m still working on all of it all of the time. We’re all a work in progress.”
A music video, directed by Erik Rojas and Lenna Onto, can be seen up above. Good Charlotte will likewise give “Rejects” its late-night debut tonight (June 25th) on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
As for the rest of Motel Du Cap, much of the album was produced alongside former Bring Me The Horizon member Jordan Fish and producer Zakk Cevini (including “Rejects”), while the record also features guest appearances from country singer Luke Borchelt and rapper Wiz Khalifa.
You’ll find the cover art for Motel Du Cap down below, while an exclusive vinyl variant on deep red vinyl, limited to 1000 copies, is up for pre-order in Revolver’s shop.
This article was originally published on BrooklynVegan.com and has been edited by Revolver.