21st Century Breakdown
Green Day
21st Century Breakdown
(Reprise Records)
By Ben Low
Choice Cut : Viva La Gloria, Christian's Inferno, East Jesus Nowhere, 21 Guns
Official website: http://www.greenday.com/
5 years and 13 million American Idiot album sales later, Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool return with 21st Century Breakdown, an all too familiar, blatant punk assault of chaos, protest and revolution.
The second long-awaited punk-rock opera begins with Act I: Heroes & Cons, with "Song of the Century", a 58-second radio frequency entangled anthem struggling to be transmitted.
Almost immediately, we are confronted with piano, a rarity in their instrumental arsenal, introducing the longest and boldest track of the album, "21st Century Breakdown", which speaks of an era of decline and the underdog spirit. This eventually leads us into a chain reaction of harmonies through to Act II: Charlatans & Saints (6 tracks) and followed by Act III: Horseshoes & Handgrenades (5 tracks), which depicts the journey of the opera's two reoccurring characters, Christian and Gloria.
Exploding into 21CB's first single, "Know Your Enemy" is as catchy and fist-pumping as any anthemic, rallying song can be, thanks to the blare of punchy guitars riffs and its undeniably melodic chorus. WA-HEY!
One of the highlights on the album is its perfect harmony of calm and fury. For example, "Viva La Gloria" (a song about finding yourself in someone you've been searching for all your life), "Before the Lobotomy" (self-destructing behavior and its effects on one's hopes/ambitions) both operate with soft/loud guitar mechanics invoking lull serenity, before frantically igniting into a thunderous head-banging moshpit frenzy. Then, out of nowhere, the trio gently escorts us into an outer space theatre with 'the most unapologetic love song' entitled "Last Night On Earth".
Green Day is no stranger when it comes to experimenting with different styles of music. They have shown their resilience in albums like Nimrod(1997) and Warning(2000), introducing harmonica solos, horns/trumpets and even a dash of accordion.
This time on 21CB, it is apparent in "Peacemaker" (a tale of revenge), which is presented with a gypsy-like carnival atmosphere. There is also the country-western inspired b-side "Hearts Collide", which offers guitar solos reminiscent of the mid-60s.
The second single of the album, "21 Guns" is a mammoth power ballad in the shadow of AI's "Wake Me Up When September Ends" in both rhythm and message: War and fallen comrades. "21 Guns" will be released on June 17th 2009 and will also be featured on the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen soundtrack.
The marriage of Green Day has lasted over 22 years and their message has been relevant and relentless. The important thing to remember here is that they remain faithful to what they stand for and have never been afraid to speak their mind.
Fueled with the same anger and passion from their 1994 break-through album Dookie(certified "Diamond" no less, with 10 million records sold) that revitalized mainstream music and popularized punk rock, they bring their latest offering to life in a stronger light, for a greater good in a world where there is no shortage of crisis.
The bottom-line?
It is not another American Idiot album if the world urgently needs another kick in the ass to open its eyes to this very real 21st century breakdown.
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