The Chronicles of Life & Death (Life Art Version) - Good Charlotte

Heavy thoughts and angst, yet still having fun.

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About Our Ratings
Common Sense rates it
4
Heard the music? Review it
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Music details
  • Artist(s): Good Charlotte
  • Genre: Punk Rock
  • Label: Sony
  • Parental Advisory: No
  • Edited Version: No
  • Release Date: 10/05/2004

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this band gets to the heart of the matter with graphic (but PG-rated) imagery. Some fans might find it irritating that there are two versions of this CD, with the only variation being the bonus track.

Families can talk about the use of different orchestrial sounds in music. What feelings do church bells or choral singing evoke in music? Parents can also ask their kids if they think putting out two almost identical albums at the same time is a clever idea or a rip-off.

Message

Social Behavior:

Some of the imagery might be unsettling to less mature (younger) teens.

Consumerism:

Two CDs with barely any difference in content!

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Violence

Blood and death imagery, as affectation.

Sex

Sophisticated relationship stuff, but nothing explicit.

Language

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Kathi Kamen Goldmark

Good Charlotte joins the ranks of bands releasing two CDs simultaneously with THE CHRONICLES OF LIFE AND DEATH, with the only differentiation being the cover art and a bonus track. True-blue fans will of course have to buy both. After a ponderous beginning that includes orchestral strings, choral singing, and church bells, the band settles into a collection of energetic punk-pop, with more sophisticated themes than on previous albums. Imagery is graphic, though PG-rated, with lyrics like "You come in cold/you're covered in blood/they're all so happy you've arrived/the doctor cuts your cord/hands you to your mom/she sets you free into this life" (on the title song).

Is it any good?

4
Over all, the lyrics reveal some deeper thought about big issues, and will be appreciated more by thoughtful teens than by younger kids, who might find some of the very visual songwriting disturbing. The music is performed with vibrant immediacy, and the Madden brothers, the centerpiece of Good Charlotte, turn in terrific performances. If angst-filled posturing seems to come with the territory, so what? Somehow everyone still sounds as though they're having fun.

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Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 8 reviews.

4


Posted on 12/15/07 by droolingfan_not Kid contributor, age 15

The Best Good Charlotte...

This album interested me because my favorite Good Charlotte song is on here and because it's supposed to be more mature, which I like. It's a fantastic album; I love most of the songs. The only one I really hate is the opening bit. And, quite unusually for a powerpop band, some of the songs almost made me cry....
5


Posted on 05/17/07 by DANCER GIRL Kid contributor, age 13

I cries! I laughed!

yo this music rock!
5


Posted on 04/22/06 by simple blinky is good when green Kid contributor, age 15

PERFECT

I AM A HUGE FAN CD ROCKS I WOULD SAY 8 AND UP IS FINE AND SKIP THE SONG WE BELIEVE BUT KIDS EVENTUALLY NEED TO LEARN LESSONS GREAT CD
5


Posted on 02/27/06 by Jared012 Kid contributor, age 11

Awesome!

Yet another great CD from Good Charolette!
Age 2+
5


Posted on 11/19/05 by hammerheadsharks Adult contributor

i think

i think people should realy get to know a band befre judging them on there music good charlotte are great guys who belive in god and would not write any songs that were out there i let my 8 and 4 year old listen to them and these guys are for real unlike alot of bands out there they care about there fans and what people think of then and some of their songs people put down like "bloody valantine" is a song about a eger allen poe (sp) book a tell tale heart they are not going out telling poeple to kill someone and stuff and also the song on there cds "hold on and sos are a big help to kids i work with kids who were thinking of killing themselfs and listened to these songs and found out that even rich and famous people have it ruff and that if these guys can make it though things they can too i wish there were more bands like good charlotte out there who care about people not just the money >>>>
4


Posted on 07/23/05 by walkmima Kid contributor, age 13

This CD was good. There was no sex-related songs, but it was kinda violent, one of the songs is titled murder, but is not to violent just iffy (a 7 yeasr old should not be listening to some of the songs). Good Charlotte is a band that is kinda scary looking but they sound better than they look. So for people who like rock this CD is good for them.I think it is apropriate for kids 13 and up.
0


Posted on 02/06/05 by bleurgh Kid contributor, age 15

0


Posted on 12/03/04 by Forknose Kid contributor, age 15

Too bad it's not their death...

Can't we play good bands on the radio anymore? The answer is yes and that is why we have bands such as Weezer, Franz Ferdinand, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but the problem is that bands like Good Charlotte show us that the media and MTV are still evil. Oh how this band pretends to be a punk and well they ain't no Clash and if you classify them as pop they ain't no Blur. They are mindless slaves to wage. Absolutely horrid, absolutely annoying, absolute trash. We all really should get a life and start listening to music where music still has passion and that would be indie artists (notice that I would call an indie musician an artist and I would never fathom calling anyone in Good Charlotte an artist) or music of the past.

See all 8 reviews >

Adult Reviews

There are 1 reviews.

Age 2+
5


Posted on 11/19/05 by hammerheadsharks Adult contributor

i think

i think people should realy get to know a band befre judging them on there music good charlotte are great guys who belive in god and would not write any songs that were out there i let my 8 and 4 year old listen to them and these guys are for real unlike alot of bands out there they care about there fans and what people think of then and some of their songs people put down like "bloody valantine" is a song about a eger allen poe (sp) book a tell tale heart they are not going out telling poeple to kill someone and stuff and also the song on there cds "hold on and sos are a big help to kids i work with kids who were thinking of killing themselfs and listened to these songs and found out that even rich and famous people have it ruff and that if these guys can make it though things they can too i wish there were more bands like good charlotte out there who care about people not just the money >>>>

Kids Reviews

There are 7 reviews.

4


Posted on 12/15/07 by droolingfan_not Kid contributor, age 15

The Best Good Charlotte...

This album interested me because my favorite Good Charlotte song is on here and because it's supposed to be more mature, which I like. It's a fantastic album; I love most of the songs. The only one I really hate is the opening bit. And, quite unusually for a powerpop band, some of the songs almost made me cry....
5


Posted on 05/17/07 by DANCER GIRL Kid contributor, age 13

I cries! I laughed!

yo this music rock!
5


Posted on 04/22/06 by simple blinky is good when green Kid contributor, age 15

PERFECT

I AM A HUGE FAN CD ROCKS I WOULD SAY 8 AND UP IS FINE AND SKIP THE SONG WE BELIEVE BUT KIDS EVENTUALLY NEED TO LEARN LESSONS GREAT CD
5


Posted on 02/27/06 by Jared012 Kid contributor, age 11

Awesome!

Yet another great CD from Good Charolette!
4


Posted on 07/23/05 by walkmima Kid contributor, age 13

This CD was good. There was no sex-related songs, but it was kinda violent, one of the songs is titled murder, but is not to violent just iffy (a 7 yeasr old should not be listening to some of the songs). Good Charlotte is a band that is kinda scary looking but they sound better than they look. So for people who like rock this CD is good for them.I think it is apropriate for kids 13 and up.
0


Posted on 02/06/05 by bleurgh Kid contributor, age 15

0


Posted on 12/03/04 by Forknose Kid contributor, age 15

Too bad it's not their death...

Can't we play good bands on the radio anymore? The answer is yes and that is why we have bands such as Weezer, Franz Ferdinand, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but the problem is that bands like Good Charlotte show us that the media and MTV are still evil. Oh how this band pretends to be a punk and well they ain't no Clash and if you classify them as pop they ain't no Blur. They are mindless slaves to wage. Absolutely horrid, absolutely annoying, absolute trash. We all really should get a life and start listening to music where music still has passion and that would be indie artists (notice that I would call an indie musician an artist and I would never fathom calling anyone in Good Charlotte an artist) or music of the past.
See all 7 kids reviews >

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