Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown
May 8th, 2009 | 4:40 pm est |
American Idiot was a rarity of the 21st century: a bona fide four-quadrant hit, earning critical and commercial respect, roping in new fans young and old alike. It was so big it turned Green Day into something it had never been before — respected, serious rockers, something they were never considered during their first flight of success with Dookie. Back then, they were clearly (and proudly) slacker rebels with a natural gift for a pop hook, but American Idiot was a big album with big ideas, a political rock opera in an era devoid of both protest rock and wild ambition, so its success was a surprise.
It also ratcheted up high expectations for its successor, and Green Day consciously plays toward those expectations on 2009’s 21st Century Breakdown, another political rock opera that isn’t an explicit sequel but could easily be mistaken for one, especially as its narrative follows a young couple through the wilderness of modern urban America. Heady stuff, but like the best rock operas, the concept doesn’t get in the way of the music, which is a bit of an accomplishment because 21st Century Breakdown leaves behind the punchy ’60s Who fascination for Queen and ’70s Who, giving this more than its share of pomp and circumstance. Then again, puffed-up protest is kind of the point of 21st Century Breakdown: it’s meant to be taken seriously, so it’s not entirely surprising that Green Day fall into many of the same pompous tar pits as their heroes, ratcheting up the stately pianos, vocal harmonies, repeated musical motifs, doubled and tripled guitars, and synthesized effects that substitute for strings, then adding some orchestras for good measure. It would all sound cluttered, even turgid, if it weren’t for Green Day’s unerring knack for writing muscular pop and natural inclination to run clean and lean, letting only one song run over five minutes and never letting the arrangements overshadow the song.
Although Green Day’s other natural gift, that for impish irreverent humor, is missed — they left it all behind on their 2008 garage rock side project Foxboro Hot Tubs — the band manages to have 21st Century Breakdown work on a grand scale without losing either their punk or pop roots, which makes the album not only a sequel to American Idiot, but its equal.
A study in grandeur–the good kind. This album is at once new and old; the fact that it manages to straddle the cutting edge and at once hearken back to Tommy and Quadrophenia and, with “American Eulogy,” Queen’s beautiful Bohemian Rhapsody makes it all the better.
As much as I love Green Day, and believe me, I do, I honestly wished they would just slap us across our faces with another 180 music direction wise.
I mean, listening to it right now, Viva La Gloria sounds very similar to Letterbomb in parts and so far it’s weak. Maybe it needs to grow on me. American Idiot did.
But it seems to me like Billie just went “Well, I’m out of ideas guys! Let’s just make a continuation of American Idiot!” They NEEDED to make American Idiot, this just doesn’t have that fire.
There’s really not much for me, personally, that catches my attention, it seems some songs start out okay but then degrade into something less interesting.
And it’s like with American Idiot I could visualize scenes to go with the music in my head, ideal times to listen to certain songs throughout the day or in certain situations. But this album just doesn’t do that for me for some reason.
Either way, it’s not a completely horrible affair, but seems a little middling to me.
Well okay not 180, but you know CHANGE music-wise.
I don’t understand the negative comments. I believe this is the perfect blend of new and modern Green Day, and is full of standouts.
Meant new and old Green Day.
21 centurie marketimg shit
I really don’t understand the negativity. “Horseshoes and Handgrenades” and “The Static Age” are among the best songs Green Day have ever, ever written. “Welcome to Paradise” and “American Idiot” just don’t compare. Particularly “The Static Age,” which, despite its punk moments, sounds grainy enough that either Pixies or Sonic Youth could’ve credibly put it out. It’s a damn good song with one of the greatest hooks a band that knows very well how to craft a hook have ever thought up. I really think “The Static Age” should’ve been the single. “Know Your Enemy” makes a statement, but “The Static Age” is just excellent. Other standouts, from a merely cursory listen, are the title track, “Viva La Gloria,” “Before the Lobotomy” (which really wrings all one can from the loud-soft dynamic), the shamelessly incendiary “East Jesus Nowhere,” the poppy “Restless Heart Syndrome,” the anti-war jeremiad, “21 Guns,” and… “American Eulogy.” It really does remind me of Bohemian Rhapsody. And that guitar bridge is just flawless.
It’s definitely worse than American Idiot.
Billie Joe has never been a brilliant songwriter. He writes very simple but catchy songs and often you recognize the song the first time you hear it. Because he usually has 1 song that sounds exactly like a song from another album. When you listen to his songs you get the feeling that everyone could them, as long as you’ve listened to some Beatles and Ramones in your life. Sure, the lyrics are fun and smart sometimes but this is about the music.
I enjoy listening to Green Day though. Particularly “Dookie” and “American Idiot”. They’re pretty good albums. The rest is a bit weak. This album feels like one of the weak ones. Sometimes they’re trying to sound like a 70s rock band, but they fail because of their lack of musical complexity and instrumental skills. I think they should stick to punk rock.
And, “Horseshoes and Handgrenades” is a rip-off of The Hives’ “Main Offender”. Both the riff and the melody is very similar to that song.
James, plagiarism is a serious accusation–and if it applies here, then every artist that has ever recorded ANYTHING at all is guilty of it. So, too, are William Shakespeare and Geoffrey Chaucer, who variously based their works on the stories of Boccaccio’s Decameron and the work of other dramatists and writers. So, too, in fact, is George Lucas. The point is, there’s a difference between plagiarizing something and drawing inspiration from it… and AC/DC’s riffs, bridges, and chord progressions, which the Hives ‘rip off’ regularly, are used by literally every modern artist whose music has guitars in it. They’re just that influential. The same is true of the Beatles, Queen, the Who, etc.
But then, you already knew that. You just came here to make a disparaging comment while claiming, really, that you ‘enjoy listening to Green Day’ even though theirs are ‘very simple but catchy songs’… Please.
Finally I listened to 21st Century Breakdown (Via Streaming),personally there were a lot of high expectations for this record,and I’m not sure if it is a big step forward or not.Don’t mean wrong,they redifined the “punk rock song” givin’ to it prog bmp,epic taste and some important high storical classic rock influences (The Who,Beatles,Beach Boys etc) and it is also more evident in this record.But 21st Century Breakdown sounds like it was written the day after American Idiot,they only revisited their conception of arrangements and recording, adding some cool stuff like delay,predelay,reverse (Butch Vig did a really good job),but after songs like Jesus Of Suburbia or Are We The Waiting,you want something of really spectacular,and in my opinion 21CB is not spectacular,it is just a good record.American Idiot it’s an album with edges and depths,you know,it flows from Jesus of Suburbia to Give Me Novocaine or Whatsername.21CB in this way is better,it is more constant,but it has not memorable moments.I think that the best stuff is : See The Light,Viva La Gloria,Last Night On Earth.Anyway this another important historical record,welcome to “Punk Rock Super Ambitious Era”.
Honestly, I can’t go back and revisit American Idiot and even compare it to this. This is so much the better album.
21st Century Breakdown isn’t bad, it just isn’t good either. I know it might be wrong to compare it to American Idiot, but considering that was their last successful album ,I will. Firstly, nothing on 21CB matches Jesus of Suburbia, and the characters in this new album just feel like excuses to put more names in music. American Idiot was not my favorite song, but it was a cultural bomb that nothing on the new album can match. The title track (21st Century Breakdown) is far too weak without enough urgency or momentum to really make a statement. Know Your Enemy is extremely repetative, but more importantly it seems like Green Day didn’t know their enemy, so they just threw a dart randomly and asked us if we did. There is no question that, whether or not you liked American Idiot, you understood what Green Day was talking about. I’ve listened to 21CB four times already, and honestly the transitioning sucks and the message (if there is one) just seems like an excuse to make an album. Not to mention most of the catchy melodies that made Green Day are absent. Lastly, nearly every song goes into a slow part or piano part. It gets really annoying after awhile. Oh and if you think Static Age is one of the best songs Green Day has ever written you are way off. It might be one of the worst.
That song Know Your Enemy sucks.
Listen to this album twice and stop telling yourself American Idiot is way better than this and you’ll love the album ! , every band got a super album that go through history ,i mean 7 grammys for American Idiot ..,u don’ know what will happen to this album .. when i heard green day is goin’ to power pop i knew the next album wont be better than American Idiot and i still think they’re better in punk rock but it doesn’t matter as long Billie - Mike and Tré cool who’s makin it , just like what happened to Avril last album , really loved the new album and it’s so weird when i listen to this album i mean to the songs they keep reminding me of American Idiot like :
!Viva La Gloria!
!Viva La Gloria!
!Viva La Gloria! - Letterbomb
Last Night on Earth - Give Me Novacaine
21 Guns - Wake Me Up When September Ends and Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
Love this album
AND remember u can’t forget how great American Idiot was because it’s GREEN DAY
Marinos Uki ,
You typed 4 words and three of them were spelled incorrectly and the only word that was not misspelled was a curse word. Nothing you say should be taken serious.
American E
I have bought every greenday album including 21st century breakdown. I actually bought it an hour ago….I’ll be returning it to the store after I finish this post. I wouldn’t of even pirated this album. It sure seems to me that they are targeting a specific audiance. 14 year old girls. The inside album cover explains it all when it plays tribute to “the class of ‘13″. Thanks for the memories Billy………it’s time to retire.
what does before the labotomy greenday song sound like at the start, not american idiot…the part where he goes dreaming…bla bla bla dreaming…. please someone???? it sounds like a chick singer iv heard the same melody???? anyone??
I like the album a lot, the only thing is a lot of the songs sound similar to some other songs. Such as the first half of “Before The Lobotomy” sounding very similar to Firehouse’s “Love of a Lifetime”. I’m not saying they did anything wrong as the second half of the song is completely diffrerent I just find it funny.
come on someone needs to know what the the melody at the start sounds like on their before the labotomy song??? its driving me crazy??????????? hmmmmmm???
21st century breakdown is exactly what green day made it to be. though its a continuation of American Idiot, I don’t see how people are saying it’s to similar. American idiot def had a more rockier sound compared to these songs, aside from “know your enemy” and “horseshoes and handgrenades”, 21st century breakdown shows green day for the first time playing piano ballads, and billie joe singing falsetto. I think the new album will grow on us all, hopefully because i dont think this album and these songs are going anywhere soon, other then the radio, over and over again. What comes next? another concept album? is this the last album? I don’t see Green day going back to their roots after 2 huge albums.
Green Day’s big concept rock operas are well and good but they’re just not as cool as their earlier stuff. The dynamic speed and energy and stripped down punk sound has completely disappeared.
On first listen I enjoyed American Idiot but quickly found myself getting bored with it’s extended piano sections and slow sections and ended up listening to 39/Smooth out of desperation for some fun, fast paced punk rock.
I’m not suggesting Green Day should stay in the same place and never progress with their music but if I’m being honest - their new musical direction doesn’t seem in keeping with where they’ve come from - Tommy still had “WHO” tracks on it, these new Green Day albums don’t seem to have “Green Day” tracks on them. Y’know?
I’d just like to say a huge thank you to Billie Joe and co. for improving the quality of my life when they bring new music into the world. For what it’s worth, I don’t think 21CB is quite up there with American Idiot (no Boulevard-like all-time classic on there), so instead it’s just a totally brilliant record and will give me much pleasure singing along to it over the next few years.
its okay. theres nothing particularly interesting or catchy on it. the 3 acts idea is just a gimmick. all in all a bit of a disapointment. this will probably be forgotten within a few weeks. shame really
I finally listened to 21st Century Breakdown last night and I liked it. Expectations were a huge factor I think as I knew that this could not, would not be better than American Idiot and the first single proved that they weren’t really going back to basics. Also I didn’t really like Know Your Enemy that much. Sure, it’s catchy and reminiscent of The Clash but it’s repetitive (not a good quality when it plays on the radio 5 times a day where I work) and the lyrics are boring (I also wasn’t that impressed with the American Idiot single either tho). But the album itself is quality. Billie’s singing is more interesting (see 21 Guns) and while the lyrics aren’t as vivid as American Idiot, no emotion is lost. I think it is an appropriate follow-up to American Idiot, displaying the haziness after the revolution.
Great album but inferior to previous two classics (not counting the live album). It would be brilliant if it wasn’t so long and if it didn’t contain a few filler songs like ‘Know Your Enemy’ and ‘Christian’s Inferno’. Sure, they fit there with the story etc. but they’re not so good as the rest. And I’m quite surprised to see that the intro song is marked as AMG Pick. Come on, it’s just intro, not really a true song ;-) If it was up to me, my picks would be these tracks - ’21st Century Breakdown’, ‘Before The Lobotomy’, ‘Peacemaker’, ‘Horseshoes And Handgrenades’ & ‘The Static Age’. These five songs kicss ass ;-) So does the rest except those two I mentioned above. But really, 1-minute intro as a highlight? :-D
I really like this album, but I was hoping for something with a bit more power, energy and upbeat… I don’t know does anyone else feel this way? I mean none of these songs really give me that adrenaline rush like they did on their other albums. They kinda make me feel more sad. But I guess I shouldn’t be comparing a completely new and different album to previous ones. Anyway nice work Green Day, can’t wait for your concert(woo I got tickets) :-)
I listened to both back to back, i’ve listened to 21st Century Breakdown over and over and over again and…i think American Idiot is just a bit better than 21st Century Breakdown. The first’s a 9.5 out of 10, the second’s a 9. They are both epics and the latter may grow on me still. I think the former is more to the point and has 5 amazing songs and 7 almost amazing songs whereas the latter has at least 12 almost amazing songs. Their best 3 don’t compare to American Idiots best three. 21st is vague, but in a very clever, artistic way that doesn’t alienate Republicans and this time sympathizes with the average American. It doesn’t completely focus on attacking the US government but instead slams things like religion and especially the media and all that it does for the enemy. The media is just as big an enemy as the powerful manipulators that use it. They didn’t come right out and say it this time cause that’s considered by some as selling out and that’s how people judged them after American Idiot.