Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown

[Ethros]

Well Green Day's new album is finally here. I got the CD today for only £6.30 so I can't really complain about that I suppose.
But is it worth the wait?



For me-
Just to go back, I'm 24 btw, I first got into Green Day and the whole punk-pop-rock thing when I was around 15 and through my latter years of high school. It was around when Warning came out and I loved that, bought all their previous albums, loved, loved, loved.
Then they took a break and my music tastes evolved from that whole rock genre to other stuff, but still when they came back in 2004 with American Idiot they reignited my love of the band. I saw them live and thought they were awesome, got the Bullet in a Bible Live CD/DVD etc in 2005, enjoyed that and so on.
But in the ensuing years since then my tastes evolved and changed further, where to now I hardly listen to any new music at all. I used to buy loads of new CDs all the time; but in 2008 I only bought 4 new albums, and they were all new ones from well established acts.

So it's the point now where I can look back on the music I listened to in high school and enjoy it for the memories, but I would never listen to or enjoy similar music made nowadays.
So do I really care about Green Day's return after all this time? They seem to have just been resting on their laurels for the past five years, doing some U2 duet and a John Lennon cover to keep their name out there.

I'm listening to the album now, about 9 tracks in. Bleh, it's all the same old story. Basically it just sounds like a poor mans American Idiot. Even the whole album layout and artwork is pretty much the same.
Maybe if I were 17 again I'd love it, but now I'm just not that into this stuff anymore. It's billed as this "concept" album about two lovers or some such- I don't give a fuck, I just wanna hear some decent tunes. And so far they all sound like crap versions of previous Green Day efforts.
It's not really *bad*, I personally just don't really care anymore.

Give me some Insomniac any day, I'd rather put that on



Your views?

 

[Cky]

I didn't like the album, infact it's the first album I've ever bought and regretted it. Even Linkin Park's Minutes to Midnight I thought was atleast "okay".

 

[Casi]

I'll admit I haven't heard the whole thing yet. It does seem to be a step down from American Idiot...but I didn't think it was awful. Was there a particular song that really just turned you sour?

 

[Ethros]

^ Not really, and as I said I don't hate it; it's just not really my cup of tea anymore.
I did think the first single they released was rubbish though- "Know Your Enemy"

After four years off that was the best they could up with for a comeback? It sounds like some old forgotten B-side they pulled out from down the side of the sofa

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Honestly, I'd take the opposite approach. I think it's better than American Idiot. Maybe I've turned sour to that album, but the only songs these days that I like off it are Jesus of Suburbia, Holiday, St. Jimmy, She's a Rebel, Letterbomb, and Whatshername. That's only half the album.

Generally speaking, when I've talked to people about this album, I've talked to punk rock fans who didn't like American Idiot's departure from previous Green Day stuff. In that context, I don't expect people to like the album. But I thought, generally, it is bigger and better sounding than American Idiot.

Oh, but Know Your Enemy is not good. Easily the weakest song on the album.

 

[Pingfah]

I've thought they were rubbish ever since I first heard Kerplunk, and they've only got worse since.

 

[Dac]

Its alright, I like 21 Guns, Viva La Gloria! and See The Light, but even they arent anything all that special. It is pretty much just a slightly less angry, less directed American Idiot.

 

[sportzkid]

After the first listen, my two favorite songs are 21st Century Breakdown and Know your Enemy.

 

[exodus]

I think inorder to fully enjoy what this album brings to the table, you have to ignore the overhyped, over produced, media driven success that was "American Idiot". This was the album that would have come out instead.

Green Day is very aware they can't top what "AI" was.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Personally, I hope this album gets less attention than American Idiot. Nothing should be that commercialized.

 

[Rincewiend]

Well, with 18 songs there are bound to be some not-so-good ones...

 

[Ethros]

I've been listening to this a bit and it's growing on me a bit more.

Last of the American Girls is probably my favourite song, and I actually like Know Your Enemy now too

Before the Lobotomy & Last Night on Earth are also pretty good tracks

 

[marplanauta]

I liked it, but usually i need to hear an album quite a few times before i can say if i liked it or not

I am seeing them in Barcelona this october

 

[STIntergalactic]

After several listens I personally have decided that this is their best work yet. I've always loved Green Day, and their music has seemed to change and mature at just the same rate my taste in music has. Although, that may not be saying a lot, because I still pretty much listen to exact same stuff that I did over 10 years ago in high school.

 

[DeafPoet]

Personally, I hope this album gets less attention than American Idiot. Nothing should be that commercialized.

It did get played to death, but I think it was a rare case of it being over-played because it was that good.

Even after that summer and fall of nothing but Green Day tunes the only one that got ruined for me is "Wake Me Up When Sepetember Ends." Oh, and "American Idiot" of course but that was the only track off the album that sucked in the first place.

I haven't heard "21st Century" yet beyond the single (which is pretty bad) but it's on my shopping list.

 

[TheArsenal]

Listened to the entire thing this morning. I like it. It's surprising in that the second half of the CD is stronger than the first, and the single tune I've heard from it "Know Your Enemy" is probably one of the weakest.

American Idiot was a solid CD, certainly. But I preferred much earlier, rawer, Green Day to the more polished and produced latter music. Even with that in mind, this new CD stands on its own as a one of their better efforts.