Disco de Green Day: “21st Century Breakdown”

I've read several reviews saying it takes 2-3 listens to get into this album, but I was hooked the first time. American Idiot spent about 3 months straight in my truck's CD player on repeat and I imagine this one will as well. They have grown musically at about the same pace as I have. They do a great job mixing the fast songs with the ballads (often in the same song). I was 15 when Dookie came out and am now 30. In that period, I have gotten into some great older music - The Beatles (thanks Mom), The Who, Queen, to name few. I was skeptical when I heard Good Riddance on the Nimrod album but that song has since grown into one of my favorite Green Day songs. I still like it fast and heavy but have really grown to appreciate classic rock and you can really hear the influences of these bands in Green Day's last two albums. In fact, for those of you who buy this on itunes, I recommend adding their cover of Lennon's "Working Class Hero" when you burn it onto a CD. It fits right along with the rest of 21st Century Breakdown.

In summary, if you liked American Idiot you will definitely get into this one. A couple more albums like these last two would probably seal their induction into the Rock n Roll hall of fame. Rock on...

Green Day was the first band I ever saw live, so I think I'll always carry a positive bias with me for these guys because of that show. Up until American Idiot I loved every single album they put out. I didn't necessarily dislike American Idiot, it just had a totally different vibe than their previous albums. With 21st Century Breakdown, they really seemed to capture the best elements from American Idiot and go with a similar concept once again. What sets "Breakdown" apart, however, is how well they were able to make such a long, epic album again but manage to pay homage to a lot of their older sounds. Don't get me wrong, this is definitely another stadium-ready rock opera, but done so in a way that all of Green Day's classic pop-punk aggression and melodies shine through and carry you from start to finish. I really didn't expect to enjoy this album much at all, and after the first listen I was worried my suspicions might have been true, but with repeat listens this album has quickly won me over and will definitely be one of my top favorites of 2009.

Favorite Tracks:

¡Viva La Gloria!

East Jesus Nowhere

Peacemaker

Last Of The American Girls

Murder City

The Static Age

American Eulogy

I was absolutely, sinkingly disappointed in this album when I first listened. Shades of 1970's music (which is fine if you like that sort of thing; I don't). More rock, less punk; but I promised myself to listen through three times straight before I posted a review. The more I listened, the more the lyrics became clear, and depths of complexity began to show themselves. I had hoped for an album which I could play straight through without skipping a lot of songs, and this does it. It's a long album: 18 songs I think, and most of them are singles-quality.

A few notes: I didn't even notice the "Christian and Gloria" theme for quite some time. The lyrics are somewhat hard to understand at first, and I listen in the car, so reading the liner as it plays is not really an option. Finally, while waiting for someone in a parking lot, I got to read the titles and lyrics and realized that there was an operatic quality to this album, like American Idiot. Now, I come from the age of Pink Floyd's The Wall, and was exposed to Tommy during my teen years. I love the idea of a whole integrated collection of songs which make a story. In the early '80's, I spent hours imagining what Pink looked like (Pink the character in The Wall, not the pink-haired diva)and imagining what it all meant. I'd love to see a Green Day movie, with Jimmy or Christian, which would play at the midnight movie for decades.

Secondly, the sound of the album is often scratchy and sometimes sounds like it was recorded at the bottom of a well. I know this is intentional, but it was really bothersome at first; seemed to be used too much. Oddly, now I don't even notice it, but I play it louder as I've come to know the words.

Billie Joe fights the establishment with his lyrics, and this album is no exception. The lyrics are well thought out, if not somewhat repetitive in places(I agree with the reviewer who states that _Know Your Enemy_ is one of the weaker offerings), but definitely gives listeners the famous Green Day attitude. Again, if you don't get the first time, give it a couple more tries and I think you'll be hooked on an album you can listen to without interruption...

I fell into Green Day by recently taking my son to a live performance (yes, I somehow missed them for, oh, 20 years). I was taken by the show and purchased "21st Century Breakdown" as a result.

This is an incredible work. Recognizing that, as a 50+ rocker weaned on the Beatles, the Who and Pink Floyd among others, my lens on this album is probably quite different from devoted Green Day fans who have followed them for years. I have little basis of comparison with their past (and note that in reviews I have sensed that some pine for Green Day's punkier roots, but I am comfortable saying I have not heard such a complete CD in nearly 30 years.

I find it engagingly melodic, jarringly surprising and, above all, wholly original. Here, Green Day moves effortlessly between pop, wall-of-sound rock, and beautfilu ballads. The album's richness is its diversity and its cohesion despite moving deftly across (even within, as with "Before the Lobotomy") styles.

Musically, this is a worthy successor to loosely themed albums like "Abbey Road" (listen for Lennon in the pretty "Last Night on Earth" and the frenetic "Restless Heart Syndrome")and "Dark Side of the Moon."

I also enjoyed he transposition of dark-as-night lyrics with poppy melodies ("Last of the American Girls"). Is there such a thing as a whimsical apocalypse? I can almost see Billy Joe Armstrong smiling wryly.

I tend to believe that, if there is a message in this, it is that in the jumble of modern (or any) socirty, only love makes sense. Maybe in making such a statement, Green Day has grown up, philosophically as well as musically.

Open yourself to that journey.

I have been listening to this album non-stop for the last week on Rhapsody. Unfortunately, I am not allowed to use the words necessary to really describe how Rock'n this album is...

With its 18 tracks, Green Day really gave us a great big helping on this one. The band said they worked hard on it and let me tell you it shows BIG TIME. It is easily the most polished CD they have ever made both musically and lyrically. Just when you think, Green Day may have reached their limit they reach out again and create something that just totally shatters the ceiling.

Just about every song is so catchy. Any Green Day fan will take this one hook, line, and sinker. People have said some of these songs sound like some of their other songs and they do. Green Day has a formula and it works so why change it? If you like that formula, you will love this CD.

There will be people on here that will log a 1 star for this album... Let me tell you those people have some other agenda and we could debate all day on what that agenda is lol. That is all I will say about that. ;)

Also, I have heard quite a bit of, "Green Day isn't punk anymore, blah blah blah." This line seems to be getting more and more popular among the peeps that consider themselves hardcore. Having been a former So Cal punk rocker myself back in the late 90s early 2000s. I think you can more or less sum up the whole punk rock movement in one word, "Rebellion." It is rebellion against the status quo, rebellion against the government, parents, whatever. With that in mind, in my opinion Green Day is just as punk rock as they have ever been. They are just reaching a much broader audience now.

ROCK ON GREEN DAY! ROCK ON!!