Cool Tunes, for a Bunch of Punks : GREEN DAY “Nimrod” Reprise * * *

Having weathered a bout of major-label sophomore slump with 1995’s “Insomniac,” Green Day has recharged its power-pop stance. The Bay Area trio barrels through these tunes with its usual youthful spunk and lyrical low self-esteem, but the adolescent vim belies the mature songwriting that really makes this album tick.

Naturally, a couple of thrash ‘n’ bash hard-core paeans are included, but they’re surrounded by songs that are surprisingly varied in character and grounded in a pop aesthetic that evokes a gaggle of great tunesmiths.

“Redundant” unwinds with a scruffy grace reminiscent of the Kinks in a mellow mood, shades of Elvis Costello color “Worry Rock,” and “Jinx” sounds something like a souped-up revision of the Platters’ “The Great Pretender.” The boys even unplug for “Good Riddance,” a poignant ballad complete with strings and Billy Bragg undertones. Their one stumbling block is “Last Ride In,” a nimbly executed surf instrumental that only emphasizes the fact that placid isn’t the trio’s strong suit.

Though Green Day clings resolutely to some powerful punk tenets--a clean-burning musical attack fueled by protracted teen angst and guided by a “loser” outlook--the musicians’ knack for whipping up incandescent pop songs transcends punk and makes them winners in spite of themselves.

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