Short Review
My rating is 6/10. Compare this to American Idiot at 7.5/10, Dookie at 7.5/10, and Nimrod at 5/10.
It is a nice album, but it seems kind of like an attemmpt to recreate the same feel of American Idiot, without as much success. I wish they had given the story of the album more structure, as that was one of the things I liked most about American Idiot. One thing I noticed is more reliance on Billie Joe Armstrong's powerful voice and more meaningful lyrics than in previous Green Day work, which I think may be a step forward from American Idiot just as that was a step forward from the album's that came before it. Green Day is contining to evolve from their punk roots, and becoming more relevant than ever. We will have to wait and see just how long they can continue, before fizzling out. But remember that most bands of their era are forgotten nowadays, while Green Day have continued to produce fine quality music.
What disappointed me most about the album, is that after 5 years of waiting, all they came up with was half a story, a few great songs, and then some material that seemed mostly intended to fill out the album. Unlike in other work by them, where each and every song on the album seemed to have a meaning, there are tracks that just don't compare with the fine points on the album. An example would be [B]Know Your Enemy[B], probably the most played song off the album on the radio. The lyrics are nothing special, and the tune is a boring one repeated for most of the song. It's a song that doesn't seem to add much to the album for me.
There are still points where I sit up and say, "This is why I listen to Green Day". The highlights to me are the epic title track at the beginning and the song East Jesus Nowhere, which I believe holds the best lyrics of the bunch. Peacemaker brings in some spanish tinged guitar, and Viva la Gloria! has a very cool intro containing only Armstrong's voice and some accompianing piano. I think these are some of the songs showing what Green Day may be looking at in the future, incorporating more styles and influences into their songs. I for one am, while slightly dissapointed, intrigued by what the album may mean for future Green Day work.
Bottom Line: Get it for a Green Day collection, but don't expect the wonders that should have come out of a five year wait.
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