Day 35: The Sounds of Writing Part 8

January 30, 2010

Finally, the concluding chapter to this segment.

1. Green Day: 21st Century Breakdown 2009

The first time I heard Green Day's follow up to their massively successful American Idiot, I was naturally very harsh. I had trouble getting into the three act style that they had used on this album, not really understanding what they were trying to do with it. After a couple of times though, I started to really get into the different sounds that they were trying for. The album goes much softer in a couple areas, especially in songs like "Last Night On Earth" and "21 Guns". Alternately though, it also goes much harder and darker then they have either. With the tracks "East Jesus Nowhere" and "Restless Heart Syndrome", they pound home the fact that not only are we going down the wrong path, but that it is our own fault that we are going this way.

With that being said, it is ultimately not the music that brings this album up to the level of greatness. The lyrics on this album are so scary good that I am amazed that I have not read more about them. When I finally got around to listening to this album with the lyric book in hand, I literally had chills running down my spine as if I was reading a great piece of literature. Which is truly what this album is, a wonderfully written story about a society on the brink of destruction. Early in the album when Billy Joe drives home the point that you must "Know Your Enemy", it seems a bit repetitive. That is until you hear the song, "Restless Heart Syndrome" where in a synthesized growl you hear him say "You are your own worst enemy, know your enemy". It is moments like this on the album that bring it above the standard issue rock opera and into a level with few contemporaries.

I also think this is the reason why the album has had such a hard time finding a large following. Instead of taking it easy and going a bit lighter after "American Idiot", they decided to go down the rabbit hole a little farther and explore an even darker story. If all comes to pass as Green Day predicts, we do not have much time left in our cozy little place on earth. On the upside though, we will at least go out with a bang. As I mentioned earlier, the album is broken up into three different acts, all of which have their own distinct sound to them. The first Act entitled "Heroes and Cons", starts out with a decidedly light tone. As the seven track segment comes to a close though, you are hit head on with the overwhelming heartbreak and sadness that is "Last Night on Earth". The track marks their softest song to date, leading the album into the second and darkest act named, "Charlatans and Saints".

Act II is by far my favorite part of the album, bringing everything that has been discussed in the first act to a head. My favorite track on the album is a part of this act as well. "Last of the American Girls" has a playful nature to it, bringing in an almost longing feel to it's "Eve of Apocalypse" lyrics. With it's early to mid-80's feel to it, the song marks the bands finest moment (In my opinion) in it's twenty year career. The rest of the act is filled with the fast paced "Murder City" and "?Viva La Gloria? (Little Girl)" and end's with the prolific "Restless Heart Syndrome". "Restless Heart Syndrome" to me is as powerful and great (though not quite as long ) as "Funeral For A Friend", the opening track on Elton John's, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. If their is any downside to this album at all (and I don't think there is), it is that this second act is so powerful and great that the other two might not seem quite as good in comparison.

The third act entitled "Horseshoes and Handgrenades" by no means disappoints though. It starts out with possibly the best stadium anthem I have ever heard in "Horseshoes and Handgrenades" and follows that up with the "Church on Sundayesque" song "The Static Age". After that you get "21 Guns", "American Eulogy" and "See the Light". Which send the album off on a softer (Well, kind of), though not necessarily happy ending. As with most rock opera's, the ending meets back up with the beginning and though the story does have an end, it reminds us that it is never "The End". Despite their dark nature on this album, Green Day is still not without a little hope.

One of the reasons that I think they are having a hard time selling this album is because there isn't really a standout single on it. I know that "21 Guns" has actually done quite well on the radio, but for the most part none of these songs work as well alone as they do together as a whole. I hope in writing this I have not over sold this album, as I truly believe that it is their best album to date. Listen to it at home a couple of times with the lyrics in hand and I promise you will not be disappointed.

Well, that finally raps up my top ten albums list of 2009. I'm really just happy that I was able to finish this thing up by the time I wrote my 2010 album list, which listening wise, is already well under way. I hope you (You? Is anybody really out there?) enjoyed it, it was pretty enjoyable on my end as well.