Average album by three American idiots. (American Idiot: Parental Advisory - Green Day)

Member Name: seano1993

Product:	American Idiot: Parental Advisory - Green Day
Date:	22/10/09 (25 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: American Idiot and Holiday.

Disadvantages: Songs are too long and boring.

American Idiot is Green Day's seventh album and was created after the masters for an album entitled "Cigarettes and Valentines" were stolen. Whether this was a better album or a blessing in disguise we will never know, but the band decided to start over with American Idiot. American Idiot is a new direction for Green Day, instead of their old pop-punk songs of rebellion this is more of a rock opera, according to the band's singer Billy Joe Armstrong. I don't know if you would call it a rock opera, but it is certainly a more mainstrean rock sound than previous albums.

It kicks off with the title track "American Idiot". It is a very politically motivated song, something which Green Day hadn't really attempted in their previous songs. I'm no big fan of trying to get across political messages in music, but this works well as a catchy song which is probably the most punk thing they do on this album. It is an anthem about post 9/11 American media and was the biggest hits off this album.

Apparently this is a "Concept album" about a character called "Jesus of Suburbia" and this is what the second track is titled. Most of Green Day's old songs rarely reach three minutes, but this goes on for over nine minutes. It is a bit bland and borrows the guitar from "Summer of 69" in a part of it. I don't really get the story of this "Jesus of Suburbia" throughout the album despite listening to it many times. Its good then that tracks like "American Idiot" and the third song "Holiday" carry the album despite the boring "Jesus of Suburbia" dragging it down. "Holiday" is a great catchy song, much more mainstrean rock then their old pop-punk stuff. I know I keep mentioning the "old Green Day", but I was a huge fan of their "Dookie" album and this album really is a dramatic change in styles for Green Day and this is demonstrated by the fourth track "Boulevard of Broken Dreams". It is very similar to Wonderwall and a rather tiresome and boring standard rock song.

Unfortunately the rest of the album descends into a boring, radio-rock by numbers. Unlike the old Green Day the tracks aren't different and gone are the entertaining lyrics, in their place a feeble attempt at condemning modern America. The worst of these offenders is the awful "Wake Me Up When September Ends". I for one hope that Green Day get rid of this nonsense and get some of that punk attidute back that gave them success without having to adjust into a more mainstream sound.

Summary: Average album