Reflections of a Mind F*ck America (American Idiot: Parental Advisory - Green Day)

Member Name: marandina

Product:	American Idiot: Parental Advisory - Green Day
Date:	09/07/05 (487 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Strong sounds, some ballads in there, super production

Disadvantages: May not be your kinda thing

You could be forgiven for thinking that the punk era ended in the early 80’s with the glory days of The Clash, The damned, Buzzcocks et all passed their prime to be replaced by lesser rockers of a new age. I kinda thought that it was so as I moved gracefully beyond my 30’s with a threatening era of ColdPlay and a more mellow sound signalling an end to those angry days of ear-splintering guitar and furious lyrics designed to change the world. However, rites of passage stories rarely pick up on the parents who get dragged along with their kids’ transition from child to teenager and it was with some consternation that I agreed to buy the American Idiot CD for my 12-year-old daughter just recently. One minute she’s listening to Steps and Busted, the next she’s entered a world of hard rock music that overlaps my own memories of genuinely talented musos. Promoted from local garage to world stage they take the long way round to lend an authenticity that comes with travelling around in caravans playing to pissed up punters just out for a good time.

Green Day is Billie Joe Armstrong (guitar, lead vocals), Mike Dirnt (bass, vocals) and Tre Cool (drums, vocals). The concept of Green Day was born in 1982 when Armstrong and Dirnt formed the band “Sweet Children” back in High School. Influenced by Ozzy Osbourne, Def Leppard, Van Halen and other guitar-based acts, they found themselves immersed in the thrash and drag culture of the San Francisco Bay area. When John Kriftmeyer dropped out of the band to pursue college, Tre Cool joined the band to complete the trio.

Their debut album “1039 Smoothed Out Slappy Hours” came out in 1990 and the band has gone on to release a further 7 albums (including the compilations “International Super Hits! and “Shenanigans”). “American Idiot” was released in September 2004 and having been nominated for 7 Grammy awards came back with the title of Best Rock Album.

The CD version that I bought has a 13-track listing starting with the anthemic “American Idiot”. A tirade against the media, Armstrong belts out an angry indictment of an apathetic population sand blasted by a cynical government influenced agenda. Curiously, this song is the back drop to the trailers promoting the new movie “The Wedding Crashers” showing just how ineffective music can be when trying to make a point! It’s not difficult to see that the songs penned by the band lack a sweeping panorama of rhyme and reason with an economy of expression shown in short, punchy lines. Still, the lines “Can you hear the sound of hysteria?/The subliminal mind fuck America” are belted out with a conviction that grabs the listener and hurls him/her through a song that announces the arrival of a crashing, noisy, finger in the face experience.

“Jesus of Suburbia” is a magnificent follow up to such a big hearted opening track. With the song divided into five parts, it ebbs and flows through 9 minutes of strident chords and rhythmic ballad. Through “Jesus of Suburbia” to “City of the Damned”, through “I Don’t Care” to “Dearly Beloved” the finale “Broken Home" hits another thrash guitar crescendo with a suburban sermon preached about a dead beat existence of malaise and blandness.

“Homecoming” is a similarly designed song with another 5-parter regaling the story of the death of the notional St. Jimmy. Seemingly with more than a nod to The Ramones in style and the Police’s “Born in the 50s”, “Homecoming” is another lengthy set that stays the distance in style, exemplifying this band's ability to write multi-layered songs that fit together with different parts.

What’s particularly good about the album is the ability of Green Day to mix ballad with rock anthem. “Give Me Novocaine” is almost a dreamy 1950’s type of affair. You can almost picture the female backing singers taking the edge off the customary guitar intervention that comes with the territory whilst the latest single “Wake Me Up When September Comes” is a reflective acoustic set that could easily succeed without the intermittent guitar and drum verse. The guitar solo in the middle of the song is awesome. That economy of lyrics is present again but doesn’t take too much away from a beautiful piece that U2 would be proud of had they wrote it.

Ironically, my least favourite song is the big hit “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”. That repeating pattern of thoughtful ballad interspersed with guitar/drum pulses is just too staccato for me but not for many as the intro “I walk a lonely road/The only one that I have ever known” is destined to be chanted at many a gig and concert to come in the future.

There are plenty of other great tracks to discover on “American Idiot”. “Holiday” is a cynical attack on US foreign policy played out to a great bass guitar riff "The Representative of California has the floor/Zeig Heil to the President Gasman/Bombs away is your punishment/Pulverise the Eiffel Towers/Who criticise your government". “St. Jimmy” is played out at a million miles an hour as an urban tale of anti-militarism cries out "I'm the patron saint of the denial with an angel face and a taste for suicidal cigarettes and ramen..."

“She’s a Rebel” is a vapid, tuneful chant with a catchy chorus "She's a Rebel/She's a Saint/She's the salt of the Earth/And she's dangerous" whilst “Whatsername” gives the kind of rousing sign off that this particular CD deserves. Overall, there's no doubting the anti-war themes running throughout the album as the tracks come together to build a rock opera in the best traditions of Pete Townsend and The Who.

Green Day is clearly a band that has gone through the learning process. Matured, experienced but still retaining a frenetic energy that gives them their edge and unique selling point when it comes to this kind of market, I couldn’t help but associate the lead singer with Mike Peters of The Alarm - a punk band from the 80s. The Alarm never became as big as they should have been. I guess having had a chance to think about it and digest all of those comparisons I’ve read about, it strikes me that Green Day may be the band that The Alarm should have become.

The production on the CD is first class. Produced by Rob Cavallo and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge, the quality of the sound resonates through the listener’s speakers as plaintive piano, gale-force drum rolls and crashing guitars give a max out experience on a brilliant album.

Like a number of bands, Green Day featured during the Live8 concerts around the world. Playing a set at Berlin, they cemented their place in mainstream rock alongside the more thoughtful REM and the like. Having grown to love this particular album in double-quick time, I’m determined to go and see them live and (if she’ll come)take my daughter with me. It’s great growing up together!

“American Idiot” is destined to become a classic album. A grandiose, sprawling set of strong tracks, this is strongly recommended to lovers of hard rock and indie although the album is diverse enough to interest general listening. For parents there is a warning note on the front of the CD regarding the explicit language used in some songs so you’ll need to make a call on how you feel about the use of the word “fuck” in songs. This is definitely amongst the very best CDs I’ve listened to in a while.

Thanks for reading

Marandina

I bought this from Tesco for £9.77. Feel free to shop online to see if you can blag a deal.

Full track listing at http://www.mmguide.musicmatch.com/album/album.cgi? ALBUMID=1504664

Summary: Potentially a classic album