Um....positive things about the single....
I like the art released with it?

Yeah, it sounds like they're trying desperatly to be the Ramones, anyone else feel that?

Standard Green Day song really. I found it pretty boring.

That's repetetive as hell, but that's good ol' Green Day. Upbeat and catchy.

Got a loeak, it's pretty good so far. Know Your Enemy is the worst track. It has upbeat songs that are insomniacish and some of the more slowed down stuff from warning, but it still has the American idiot vibe, and most of them could fit in next to Jesus of Suburbia pretty well. There are some major similarities between songs on this and AI. Are We The Waiting/St. Jimmy and Before The Lobotomy match up pretty well as do Give Me Novacane and Last Night On Earth, but the lyricism in 21st is miles ahead of anything on AI. East Jesus Nowhere IS a big christianity bash, but it's a really great song. They're still able to throw in the sappy nimrod-era love song with Last of The American Girls, which is extremely cathcy, but lyrically the second worst song on the album. Horsheshoes and Handgrenades sounds just like Foxboro Hottubs. Right now my favorite songs are Christian's Inferno, Last Night On Earth, and Peacemaker.

So far, I've gotta say I'm really enjoying it.

I thought it was awesome....."Know Your Enemy" sounds nothing like the rest of the album....
It IS very similar to American Idiot....lots of guitar overdub, similar melodies....but lyrically, its more relevant.
The last album was about an angry teenager who had no idea what he wanted, only what he DIDN'T want....This album is about angry people actually working for a better tomorrow. If you're not going to give them credit anywhere else, at least say that they write for the times.

Little disappointing, it's been five years since their last release and I was really hoping for more, but oh well, there are a few songs I like of the album at least.

On the way home from work the other day I heard a new song on the radio, they said it was "Before the Lobotomy". It started off with some really crappy vocals "Dreaming...I am only dreaming" hardly recognizable as B.J. (though that doesn't mean it's a bad thing) it was just really cheesy. Part of the song is actually good because it sounds pretty hardcore, but I think they stole that riff or whatever from someone because it sounded familiar. The song was all over the place, stylistically. I was not impressed except for the fact that it was heavy but like I said, sounded ripped off.

Anyway I haven't cared about Green Day since Dookie so I don't know why I'm here. But the singles I heard on the radio from American Idiot never bothered me. I never cared enough to check out the album, but I don't hate them like others seem to.

this is the kind of useless, patisan BS we could do without.

The song is terribly repeditive, and to the person who said it was a typical green day song, their usually much better than that, so I'll have to disagree.

The first three singles off of American Idiot were brilliant. This is one of their worst showings to date.

I didn't say it was a typical Green Day song, I said it had characteristics of typical Green Day songs. It's upbeat and catchy.

And I will get around to this album... some time.

Average for me, let down by a weak first half.

sidewinder, you're right. Somethings off about his voice, I think its correction software.

The album didn't live up to my expectations. It was original, good lyrics but still... i think it was too soft and the alienation theme was already consumed in American Idiot. I'm afraid American Idiot was their peak and all that follows goes in the average category.

American Idiot their peak?
It only had 4.5 good songs!
21st Century is full of stuff that won't get old to me for awhile, like most of green day's discography.

21st is too soft...AD had more vitality, loudness,rage...
I'm not saying it's not good...it's got great music as well (it's green day after all) but i can't help but see it as a cheap copy of AD.

Talk about a band past its prime....

were they ever IN their prime?

I still have a soft spot for Dookie.

Kerplunk!>Dookie IMO

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.

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.

quoted for truth

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

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.

no sarcasm detected, captain

Nooooooooooo

NOnononononononono
God nononono

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.

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???

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.

I think they're just growing up.

So for the people who aren't very impressed with their new album and with American Idiot, my question for you is this; when, in your mind, did they jump the shark? And were you guys huge fans to begin with?

And listen, I'm the first guy to bash people who assume a band can do no wrong. But at the same time, I question the validity of someone's opinion when they hate everything a band puts out, to the point that they need to comment on it.

So for those of you who are underwhelmed by the new album or think it just plain sucks....What Green Day material do you like? What got you into them originally?

I went through this same thing when I first got here, I'm not even a big fan, but there are people here who just seem to hate the band for being the band they are. Anyway welcome and good question.

I'm listening to it for the first time right now. I actually think it's pretty good so far. I'm only on song 10. It's very different from their past albums, which I think is a good thing. Don't get me wrong, I've listened to Green Day ever since the "1039/Smoothed Out Happy Hours" days and on. I think the only albums I've been disappointed in were "Warning" and "Nimrod".

Different sounding albums. Understandable.

It's growing on me a little. I still think it's far too long, and it's got a lot of filler. But it's decent.
And I love "21 Guns".

It's supposed to be long. It's a rock opera.

Just because its supposed to be long doesnt mean it's better off that way.

Maybe it is better off that way, though...

It really isn't. There is at least 8 songs that don't need to be there, that I can name. For the most part though, I really love this album.