New Music Review: Green Day "21st Century Breakdown"

Since this is a music blog, and I don't really blog every day and really need to, I think I might try to pick up 5-7 albums every week on New Music Day (Tuesday) and provide y'all with a quickie review of each album I pick up.

Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown (8.5/10)

I have been a long, long supporter of Green Day, have all the studio albums (including International Superhits!) and was in instant fan of American Idiot upon the day of its release and thought to myself "This is it, Green Day his hit the nail on the head, no topping this one". I went into listening to Green Day's newest effort 21st Century Breakdown thinking that it was going to be an exact copy of American Idiot, and would subsequently destroy my enjoyment of Green Day. I was somewhat correct. While the same "concept" feel of their last effort remains, the political overtones are pounded into my head through a different point of view. The album as a whole is essentially the journey of a couple through life in the 21st century (hence the clever title). It made for quite the background album. One of those albums that you can turn on and go do other stuff like clean or study and just let it play. The album opens with the "old-time radio" vocal effect intro with "Song of the Century" and proceeds into a reminder that Green Day has matured from a wild, punk rocking juggernaut into true musicians with a message and talent that has allowed them to pull off this transformation seamlessly. The only song that really felt out of place on the entire album was "Know Your Enemy" that lead single and only really repetitive song on the album. Somewhat of a throwback (I say somewhat because it is more of an American Idiot song than a Dookie track) with grinding guitar and little effect to transform it into something more than it needed to be. All-in-all, it's a good listen, not great, and it really could never top American Idiot nor does it try. As far as a concept/quadrant albums goes, it might be time for Green Day to re-reinvent themselves for their next album, or risk alienating and burning out long-time fans.

Tracks to Check Out:
"21 Guns"
"Restless Heart Syndrome"
"Know Your Enemy"


Tomorrow: Better Than Ezra's Paper Empire.