group :Green Day album: 21st Century Breakdown - 15/05/2009
single: Know your enemy
Hits: "21 Guns", "21st Century Breakdown", "Last Night On Earth", "Peacemaker", "Viva La Gloria!"
If someone asked me to describe in one word the new album of Green Day, released on Friday, I would probably say the word: "mature ". The group from California already counts 22 years of presence (they go so fast, don't they?) and 8 records including the most recent. From the wild - punk years " 39/Smooth " (1990), the " Kerplunk " (1992) and "Dookie" (1994), Green Day have changed with time, without renouncing their original identity.
Even if we were warned for the impending change in the "Nimrod" (1997) and "Warning" (2000), the wide diversity in their sound was in "American Idiot" 5 years ago, which introduced the first rock " opera" in the cd. The history of "Jesus of Suburbia" , the "St. Jimmy" and the "Whatsername" in the "American Idiot" and the political lyrics of the song created an excellent album, which got very good reviews from music magazines. The sequel came last Friday 15th of May, after five years.
It is the longest period between 2 albums of the group which proves that Green Day have taken carefully steps so as to continue their own "story" at the same level as what was in 2004. The choice of Butch Vig (Nirvana, Garbage) to produce the album shows the true ratio. Having with them powerful production and of course several issues from the political scene in recent years, Green Day see the future of our century after what the administration of G. Bush has left on the planet through the eyes of a couple in love, Christian and Gloria in " 21st Century Breakdown ".
All the s
ongs on the album are connected to each other, forming a greater story, which gives a particular meaning in monitoring the lyrics of the tracks. The latter are once again deepl political and regardless of whether or not you agree with them, I particularly appreciate the musicians who use conscious - aware verses with different messages in their music. The album - play is divided into 3 acts: "Heroes and Cons", "Charlatans and Saints" and "Horseshoes and Handgrenades" and it starts with "Song of the Century", an introductory piece of a minute, that suits best for the opening of their concert. Let's look below the 18 songs on the album and my comments in each and every one of these:
1. Song of the Century (intro)
I Heroes and Cons
2. 21st Century Breakdown (****,*): The first essentially piece of "21st Century Breakdown" comes from the good old times of the Queen and is an epic song that stands out from the album.
3. Know Your Enemy (*****): Super potential single! This track will be enough danced in rock clubs etc. The more I listen to it the more obvious it seems.
4. Viva La Gloria! (****): The beginning reminds largely songs of the Beatles, something that surprises me at first. Then the keys and violin give their position to the familiar punk sound of Green Day. Particularly strong, with a happy song Chorus, dedicated to Gloria, as is evident. The drums rule throughout the piece!
5. Before The Lobotomy (****) : melancholic, calm beginning with guitars and then again strong, angry thereafter. The singing of Billie J. Armstrong, the strong lyrics and the intense guitars contribute to this epic piece of music. "Well it's enough to make you sick. To cast a stone and throw a brick. When the sky is falling down It burned your dreams into the ground".
6. Christians Inferno (***,*) : Excellent singing of Armstrong, a good guitar solo in a song that strongly resembles the "American Idiot".
7. Last Night On Earth (****): Who on earth sing this song? The Beatles?The Oasis in their calm period? It may sound like the Beatles, but stands out from the album.
II Charlatans and Saints 8. East Jesus Nowhere (***,*) : The radio station is coordinated on the right track and the guitars get back fire. A moderate song with a good Chorus again.
9. Peacemaker (****,*): This is a piece that really stands out in the "21st Century Breakdown". It reminds me strongly of this year's "When I last spoke to Carol" of Morrissey, which gives a different tone in the "Years of Refusal" in Moz. Fast pace and certainly very different from the other songs on the album.
10. Last Of The American Girls (****,*): Another one of the singles of the next album, which is in the concept of "American Idiot".
11. Murder City (***,*)
12. Viva La Gloria? (Little Girl) (***,*) : The vocals and music at the beginning sound like a pop song to give their position to the intense outburst is what Green Day do in several songs of the "21st Century Breakdown ".
13. Restless Heart Syndrome (****) : The ballad of a fairly good album, which has its own outbursts. We repeat that the singing of Billie Joe Armstrong rulez!
III Horseshoes And Handgrenades
14. Horseshoes And Handgrenades (***)
15. The Static Age (****,*): One of the best songs of the album with very good rhythm, riff, and of course once again very good lyrics. "All i want to know is a god-damned thing, not what's in the medicine. All i want to do is : I want to Breathe . "
16. 21 Guns (** ***): by far the best song on the disc. Reminds us in the beginning the "Wake me up when September ends" and then it is amazing. It is certainly a great success - not that I care about this of course .. . deeply politicized certainly! "Do you know what's worth fighting for, When it's not worth dying for? Does it take your breath away. And you feel yourself suffocating? Does the pain weigh out the pride? And you look for a place to hide? "
17. American Eulogy (Mass Hysteria / Modern World) (***,*)
18. See The Light (****): Ends the album with a melody that began with "Song of the Century" and as expected it gets stronger in the end.
Our number: 8,1
Listen to 3 tracks from the album here and I think very soon you will hear the entire album in this address.
Reviews from other music magazines - pages:
Rolling Stone (4,5 / 5), NME (8 / 10 ), Spin (3 / 5), The Guardian (3 / 5)
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