Album: Green Day – 21st Century Breakdown
ALBUM REVIEW: Green Day – 21st Century Breakdown
words: Sean Collison
For Billie Joe Armstrong and co, deciding to put the problems of the world, or more accurately America, down to more than lack of sex had a hugely paradoxical impact on their band. Despite being widely criticised by fans of their previous works, and quite possibly losing them more fans than gained them via the words ‘sell-outs’ and other synonyms, it catapulted them into the musical stratosphere, selling millions and paving the way for huge stadium gigs.
Following the intro, the title track builds with a thoroughly Springsteen-esque heavy piano, thundering into a cascade of crashing guitars as Green Day’s attempt to regain their old fans without going back to tales of blood, sex and booze kicks off. “Born into Nixon, I was raised in hell” Billie Joe sings as the stadium rock rumbles on behind him, and this time, it’s actually insightful, not just a blunt “fuck America”. From this moment, it just feels different, more thought out than 2004’s effort.
This feeling isn’t lost on the rest of the album. ‘¡Viva La Gloria!’ follows the same pattern as the title track, poignant piano followed by crashing guitars, contrasts brilliantly with the punk-rock rhythms of ‘Murder City’ and grand ‘Restless Heart Syndrome’. The same can be said of the brilliantly poppy “Last Of The American Girls’ or ‘The Static Age’. The album just feels more worked on and cared for than American Idiot.
It’s not without its flaws, the key issue being it’s just too long. It doesn’t get boring as such, and it’s definitely easy to listen through, just feels like it’s dragging by the time you reach ‘Act 3: Horseshoes & Handgrenades’. Billie Joe just doesn’t have the voice to get away with songs like ‘Last Night On Earth’, and ’21 Guns’ just goes on and on. It rarely reaches the early peak of the title track, especially on a lyrical level, and too many songs follow the same slow intro/heavy finale pattern. It peaks again at the end, “I don’t give a shit about the modern age” Billie Joe screams on ‘American Eulogy’ as the stadium rock and punk clash and 21st Century Breakdown crashes to an end with ‘See The Light’.
I find it hard to believe Green Day have saved their old fans with their return, but maybe they should be pointed in the direction of 2008’s ‘Stop, Drop & Roll!!!’. 21st Century Breakdown defines Billie Joe and co even more so as one of the bands of this generation. Not only can they rock out to tales of girls, drugs and times of your life, when they actually think about it, they can lay down epic tales of the American dream. I am completely sold.
8.3
mp3: Green Day – East Jesus Nowhere [alt]
MFM @ HYPEM
