Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown

Arya Stark · 05-16-2009, 08:57 PM

Overall, I really like it. "Know Your Enemy" is nothing like the rest of the album.

To all of the people saying that they're just following everyone else, they STARTED everyone else. They're not following anything. They're growing up but keeping the same attitudes.

Arya Stark · 05-16-2009, 09:00 PM

And I think he's just learning what to do with his voice, that's why he sounds so different.

Have you heard the fifth track? He actually controls his voice.

Antonio · 05-16-2009, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xxawwxsugarxx

Overall, I really like it. "Know Your Enemy" is nothing like the rest of the album.

To all of the people saying that they're just following everyone else, they STARTED everyone else. They're not following anything. They're growing up but keeping the same attitudes.

quoted for truth

Arya Stark · 05-17-2009, 06:31 PM

Tell me that isn't sarcasm. ^_^;;

AmericanMusicFan · 05-17-2009, 07:06 PM

I see Green Day's very obvious pattern now. I mean, ignoring all the canons of the band [MoneyMoney2020, Foxboro Hot Tubs, Shenanigans (b-sides), International Super Hits (compilation album)] i'm going by strictly Green Day brand new releases. I'm also ignoring their LP 39/Smooth.

anyway, here we go, here's how it breaks down;

1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours and Kerplunk were their old school, traditional ska/punk albums. These were raw Green Day still trying to find their voice.

Dookie/Insomniac were their coming out albums. Dookie was obviously HUGE and every song on that album is a classic, along with Insomniac. Here's the rub; much of what was on Insomniac were songs written and/or recorded for Dookie but got put aside. So to me, Insomniac is part 2 of Dookie. That's the second era of their career.

Nimrod/Warning: Nimrod saw them exploring less punky, traditional rock sounds and using different tempos, beats and instruments. I don't just mean "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life). I also include "Uptight" and "King For A Day" as examples of their style becoming more varied with lighter instrumentals that didn't rely on heavy guitar riffs. Warning was an acoustic rock album all the way. Tom Petty with a serious attitude problem.

American Idiot/21st Century Breakdown: American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown continue their tradition of keeping a similar sound in two albums with slight tweaks. The higher vocal registering Billie Joe does in 21st Century Break Down and the melodic, operatic tones carrying through both albums are also a tonal shift for them. American Idiot is still full on rock, though. 21st Century Breakdown feels slightly different. I can't quite put my finger on it just yet. I've listened to the whole album 5 times now and I'm still trying to figure out. I guess you could say it's their most pop-centric album ever. A lot of these songs might not get played on a rock station, but top 40, definitely. While I've always loved their anti-establishment mentality, I see what they're trying to accomplish. People will be surprised by these new tracks and wonder where Green Day will go next. Keeping us guessing will keep us listening and thus keep them popular and topical for music in general.

I wonder what these guys will sound like in their 40's. Hopefully their next two albums will reveal yet another side to their ever evolving style.

Antonio · 05-17-2009, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xxawwxsugarxx

Tell me that isn't sarcasm. ^_^;;

no sarcasm detected, captain

Dr_Rez · 05-17-2009, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmericanMusicFan

Tom Petty with a serious attitude problem.

Nooooooooooo

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmericanMusicFan

People will be surprised by these new tracks and wonder where Green Day will go next. Keeping us guessing will keep us listening and thus keep them popular and topical for music in general.

NOnononononononono

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmericanMusicFan

I wonder what these guys will sound like in their 40's. Hopefully their next two albums will reveal yet another side to their ever evolving style.

God nononono

Mojo · 05-18-2009, 08:05 AM

Just finished listening to it for the first time. I may give it one more go just to see if it grows on me but it didn't do much for me. I don't think theres actually anything wrong with it, but it doesnt do much to grab my attention. Their sound is evolving into full blown stadium rock anthems and if you can dig that and don't want anything else from them then this album might be for you but to me its fairly safe, accessible but a little pretentious.

I quite liked American Idiot and so thought I might get into this but not to be. Even American Idiot was an album I liked and listened to it a few times but then never revisited it as it kind of ran its course but this one I think has ran its course after one listen.

EmmieDarling · 05-18-2009, 10:15 PM

Hmm. I "borrowed" this from my friend, and at first listen was prepared to dismiss it as utter sh!t BUT after listening to it again, it's... meh.
21 Guns and Little Girl are both decent tracks; Restless Heart Syndrome is also bearable.
Pretty sad that only three tracks on the album really are any good.
And it's too damn long.
When did this band become so pretentious???

Mojo · 05-19-2009, 08:25 AM

American Idiot, at least the title track, was a little pretentious but there was enough there to back it all up for me. I'm not a big fan of the track by any means though.

However with the new album, the way I see it is they have written some really big, stadium rock anthems and moved towards almost an "epic" kind of a sound for this record and there just isn't enough content or substance to pull it off. All thats left is something that sounds as though they tried, failed, and failed pretentiously.

As I said however, I have only listened to it once so I am prepared to take all of that back if necessary.

View Poll Results: Rate 21st Century Breakdown
Awesome	20	14.81%
Very Good	26	19.26%
Average	34	25.19%
Poor	25	18.52%
Terrible	30	22.22%
Voters: 135. You may not vote on this poll

05-18-2009, 08:05 AM	#68 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	Just finished listening to it for the first time. I may give it one more go just to see if it grows on me but it didn't do much for me. I don't think theres actually anything wrong with it, but it doesnt do much to grab my attention. Their sound is evolving into full blown stadium rock anthems and if you can dig that and don't want anything else from them then this album might be for you but to me its fairly safe, accessible but a little pretentious. I quite liked American Idiot and so thought I might get into this but not to be. Even American Idiot was an album I liked and listened to it a few times but then never revisited it as it kind of ran its course but this one I think has ran its course after one listen. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

05-18-2009, 10:15 PM	#69 (permalink)
EmmieDarling Groupie Join Date: May 2009 Location: Not Suburbia Posts: 34	Hmm. I "borrowed" this from my friend, and at first listen was prepared to dismiss it as utter sh!t BUT after listening to it again, it's... meh. 21 Guns and Little Girl are both decent tracks; Restless Heart Syndrome is also bearable. Pretty sad that only three tracks on the album really are any good. And it's too damn long. When did this band become so pretentious??? __________________ We're at our best when it's from the hips. From our hips we don't give a sh!t.

05-19-2009, 08:25 AM	#70 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	American Idiot, at least the title track, was a little pretentious but there was enough there to back it all up for me. I'm not a big fan of the track by any means though. However with the new album, the way I see it is they have written some really big, stadium rock anthems and moved towards almost an "epic" kind of a sound for this record and there just isn't enough content or substance to pull it off. All thats left is something that sounds as though they tried, failed, and failed pretentiously. As I said however, I have only listened to it once so I am prepared to take all of that back if necessary. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

05-17-2009, 07:06 PM	#65 (permalink)
AmericanMusicFan Groupie Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 12	I see Green Day's very obvious pattern now. I mean, ignoring all the canons of the band [MoneyMoney2020, Foxboro Hot Tubs, Shenanigans (b-sides), International Super Hits (compilation album)] i'm going by strictly Green Day brand new releases. I'm also ignoring their LP 39/Smooth. anyway, here we go, here's how it breaks down; 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours and Kerplunk were their old school, traditional ska/punk albums. These were raw Green Day still trying to find their voice. Dookie/Insomniac were their coming out albums. Dookie was obviously HUGE and every song on that album is a classic, along with Insomniac. Here's the rub; much of what was on Insomniac were songs written and/or recorded for Dookie but got put aside. So to me, Insomniac is part 2 of Dookie. That's the second era of their career. Nimrod/Warning: Nimrod saw them exploring less punky, traditional rock sounds and using different tempos, beats and instruments. I don't just mean "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life). I also include "Uptight" and "King For A Day" as examples of their style becoming more varied with lighter instrumentals that didn't rely on heavy guitar riffs. Warning was an acoustic rock album all the way. Tom Petty with a serious attitude problem. American Idiot/21st Century Breakdown: American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown continue their tradition of keeping a similar sound in two albums with slight tweaks. The higher vocal registering Billie Joe does in 21st Century Break Down and the melodic, operatic tones carrying through both albums are also a tonal shift for them. American Idiot is still full on rock, though. 21st Century Breakdown feels slightly different. I can't quite put my finger on it just yet. I've listened to the whole album 5 times now and I'm still trying to figure out. I guess you could say it's their most pop-centric album ever. A lot of these songs might not get played on a rock station, but top 40, definitely. While I've always loved their anti-establishment mentality, I see what they're trying to accomplish. People will be surprised by these new tracks and wonder where Green Day will go next. Keeping us guessing will keep us listening and thus keep them popular and topical for music in general. I wonder what these guys will sound like in their 40's. Hopefully their next two albums will reveal yet another side to their ever evolving style.