American Idiot- Green Day

Green Day- American Idiot.

1. American Idiot
2. Jesus of Suburbia
I. Jesus of Suburbia
II. City of the Damned
III. I don't care
IV. Dearly Beloved
V. Tales of another broken home
3. Holiday
4. Boulevard of broken dreams
5. Are we the Waiting
6. St. Jimmy
7. Give me Novacaine
8. She's a Rebel
9. Extraordinary Girl
10. Letterbomb
11. Wake me up when september ends
12. Homecoming
I. The death of St. Jimmy
II. East 12th street
III. Nobody likes you
IV. Rock and Roll girlfriend
V. We're coming home again
13. Whatsername


Thought i would actually do a review of this album as opposed to just a track-listing

After waiting a LONG time for the new GD album, i was a bit nervous about what it would sound like. After Warning, it appeared (on record at least) that Green Day had mellowed out and were at risk of alienating their fanbase, and although i had read that 'Idiot' was more akin to Nimrod than the last record, i was still a bit suspicious.

After screaming down to Asda in the rustbucket, i purchased the album and sped home at break-neck speed for an eager listen.

I'm sure all of you know by now what 'American Idiot' sounds like, but for those that don't, it's a classic anthemic GD song, very much in the vein of 'Nice Guys Finish Last' but even better, and the DISTORTION IS BACK! Perhaps the best single GD have released in years, but like most GD come-back singles, a bit misleading in relation to the rest of the album.

'American Idiot' is very much an album as opposed to a collection of songs and most of the songs blend into one another. In some cases, such as 'Jesus of Suburbia' and 'Homecoming', one track consists of 5 mini-tracks. The former, at 9 minutes long, is a superb collection of ideas, flowing effortlessly between 50's-esque rock 'n' roll, piano-led rock and classic GD punk rock with choruses and harmonies to match, bringing to my mind (if no-one elses) Elvis Costello crossed with *gasp* Meatloaf. An excellent beginning to the album and we'll ignore 'City of the Damned' nicking the chorus from Bryan Adam's 'Summer of 69' .

It's obvious that 'Idiot' has a political agenda, and the Iraq war is the focus for holiday, perhaps a bit darker than most of the album in musical and lyrical terms, and Billie Joe, with lines like 'Zieg Heil to the President gasman', leaves little about his opinion on the war to imagination. This song then leads straight into personal favourite 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams', a piano-based rock song with a fantastic 'driving verse' including the constant 'I walk alone' refrain into a verse which i still can't get out of my head. At the end, there's still time for a mild bit of rocking out as well.

'We are the Waiting' is anthemic, but possibly in the strangest sense of the word. A slow, broken-down verse leads to the chanting, song-along at the footy style chorus and it's again a change in tempo which shows this to be the most diverse GD album to date.

Just when you thought that GD had forgotten how to play fast, 'St Jimmy' comes along and reminds us of the bratty GD of old. Fast drums, 3 chords- you know what this sounds like if you're a GD fan.

However, it's not all good. 'Give me Novocaine' is bright and breezy but ultimately aimless and screams 'filler' from start to finish. 'Extraordinary Girl', bar a rocking chorus, is really, with it's Eastern-tinged stylings, an experiment too far and leaves horrible memories ala 'Misery' from 'Warning' kicking about.

'She's A Rebel' agains showcases the GD of old, with elements of a Nimrod-era chorus mixed with perhaps an older-era verse, and is again, another personal favourite on the album.

'Letterbomb' is remisicint of 'Scattered' and just as good- it starts with an unusual female-led vocal before crashing into traditional GD fare. Another fine effort and the chorus, featuring the line 'It's not over 'til you're underground', shows GD know exactly what we're all thinking by this stage of the album- Green Day are back with a vengeance.

'Wake me up when September ends' is destined to be the 'Good Riddance' or the 'Macy's Day Parade' of 'American Idiot'- a slushy ballad which eventually (thank god) breaks into something a bit more substantial. Good for about 3 lsitens, but i'm destined to hate this when it becomes a single and is never off the radio.

The aforementioned 'Homecoming' is another punk rock marathon, featuring input from the other members of the Californian trio. As the early part of the song resembles classic GD, the song then breaks down into a church bell-led (not sure about this- please correct me if i'm wrong) sing-a-long with Mike Dirnt taking on vocals, which reminds you of all the crap Xmas songs you hear year after year. Only a lot better. 'Rock 'n' Roll Girlfriend' shows Tre being indulged in a piano and saxaphone accomponied rock 'n' roll fest, and those of you aware of 'Dominated Love Slave' (the last time GD were stupid enough to let Tre write a song) won't be shocked that Tre was behind this one.

Final track 'Whatsername' is a laid-back pop-rock song with muted guitars until the very end when all the guitars kick in to end the album in a triumphant fashion.

Although not the 100% perfect album, this is my favourite GD record. They've realised doing something different isn't turning the guitars down, but developing their song-writing to a level far above their peers, who have recently changed their sound in a desperate attempt to cash in on the 'poser-emo' phase. I thoroughly recommend anyone who has a spare tenner to ask this to their CD collection. You won't regret it.

Move over Blink, move over Good Charlotte, the daddies are back. Thank fuck for that.