Green Day
21st Century Breakdown

THE REVIEW

Never really loved Californian punk rock that much, yet the stylistic shift of Green Day in "American Idiot" managed to surprise me. I didn't expect such a band to have so much to say once they moved past their "adolescent" phase (and no kidding, they're in their forties even if they look like they're 15...), yet the album in question followed a rather interesting concept and the lyrics were, more or less, socially engaged, sometimes delivering direct attacks.

The anticipation for the new album, from both the new-kids-on-the-block fans and the longtime fans (who certainly turned up their noses at "American Idiot"), as well as from the critics, was high: "what will they come up with now?"... And here comes the answer. Right from the start, an awful, phony and cold sound jumps out, which sets up a bad predisposition for listening. Yet the bravest (for example, myself) might try to make it to the last track. And discover that... There are very few ideas. Once again, they are working on a concept and the album is divided into three "chapters," but... this time the concept sucks. It deals with the story of a couple of lovers moving through the lusts and illusions of this millennium. Wow. As the single "Know Your Enemy" hinted, the compositions are uninspired and often self-referential. Despite the "Beatles-like" inspiration of some, the multiple acoustic-flavored tracks say nothing noteworthy, especially "Last Night on Earth", among others.

And yet, we must say, the attempt to renew themselves oozes from some tracks on the album, alternating with classic Green Day pop-punk tracks, but it's rare for the band to actually "think outside the box" and tread new paths: it happens on "Peacemaker" or "East Jesus Nowhere", which almost recall the stereotypes of many Manson tracks: they are the only two tracks I would barely save from this whole mishmash... Yes, it's a mishmash we are talking about: a whopping EIGHTEEN tracks that make the album feel ENDLESS.

The work of a legendary producer like Butch Vig (yes, the very one of "Nevermind" by Nirvana and "Gish" and "Siamese Dream" by the Smashing Pumpkins) amounts to little or nothing on this album. The ongoing contradiction between the anger of those who want to "change the world" (often flaunted) and the desire to create stadium choruses certainly emerges.

Is it a lot of hypocrisy or a disorientation due to unexpected success and great expectations?