A conscientious objector to the war that's in my mind... (Warning - Green Day)

Member Name: kirsty_tinx

Product:	Warning - Green Day
Date:	21/04/09 (134 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A mixture of new style Green Day and their 'older' sound, good songs.

Disadvantages: A couple of less impressive tracks.

I first heard Green Day a while ago when flicking through music channels and I fell in love. The first song of theirs I heard was 'Minority' which is on the Warning album, and I thought it was brilliant.

Green Day consists of Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool. Although their style of song changes, Billie Joe's voice is extremely recognisable in all tracks. Most of the song's are written by Billie Joe Armstrong and through his lyrical genius, you can see his sense of humour shine through in some of the tracks.

Green Day's sound has changed a lot throughout the years. Their most recent album, 'American Idiot' was a huge success, but not so highly rated by some of their older fans, although I personally thought it was good in its own way. However, their older albums have a more classic sound, and the songs tend to sound more fun rather than the political sounds of American Idiot. Each album has its own sound, and I guess it shows how Green Day have progressed and grown up themselves.

Their current discography looks like this:
1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours (1990)
Kerplunk (1992)
Dookie (1994)
Insomniac (1995)
Nimrod (1997)
Warning (2000)
American Idiot (2004)
21st Century Breakdown (2009)

The title track of the album 'Warning' opens this album, and is a good indication of what is to come. Certainly when watched alongside the video, you can see the message that was trying to be portrayed in this song.
"CAUTION: POLICE SIGN YOU BETTER NOT CROSS.
Is the cop or am I the one that's really dangerous?"
Although the song itself isn't particularly exciting, it's amusing, as Billie Joe tries to show how insane the 'public health warnings' which we get nowadays are. "Or shut up and be a victim of authority" I suppose in a way this is the start of Green Day's attacks on the world and how we live. I think the reason I like this song so much is because of the video, because it demonstrates what could happen if we DIDN'T have safety announcements! The song is quite repetitive, but a good song none-the-less.

We then move on to 'Blood, Sex and Booze' which I think is a much more interesting offering compared to the opening track! Like many of the songs on this album, it's catchy, and the chorus is easy to follow and sing along to.
"I'm in distress, oh mistress
I confess so do it one more time
These handcuffs are too tight
You know I will obey, so please
Don't make me beg
For blood, sex and booze you give me."
Considering the lyrics are written by Billie Joe, I would assume this gives us an insight into his personality! However, the song is amusing, and has a good beat and rhythm.

'Church On Sunday' is just as catchy as the song before. It looks at the ridiculous reasons which some people go to Church for. The lyrics make it sound like going to Church is a chore, and something which is only done to make others happy.
"If I promise to go to church on Sunday
Will you go with me on Friday night?
If you live with me, I'll die for you
And this compromise"
Because of the catchy and fun way the song is written, it doesn't sound as disrespectful as it could, but it could be taken in many different ways!

'Fashion Victim' comes up next. It sounds quite similar to the previous song music-wise, but is interesting lyrically. It focuses around the idea of people following others in a guide to be 'happy' and 'popular.' "What's in a name?" sums this up well, as it indicates that we are becoming less individual and more like everyone else - something which is becoming extremely true, in an age where everybody wants to look like someone famous, and have the same clothes and style as them.

One of my favourite songs on the album is 'Castaway.' I'm not sure why, but I find that it's overly catchy and entertaining, the music is of a good standard and it makes me happy to listen to it. The music breaks are good, and the guitar solo in the middle, although short, is fun.
"A conscientious objector to the war that's in my mind" indicates the separation the person in the song feels. It's a good song - about being alone when doing things. It's quite fast paced, but in a good way, as Green Day do this very well!

'Misery' is definitely one of my favourites on this album. It's very different to the rest of the sounds of album, but this is definitely not a bad thing. Although I don't think this song would be appreciated by everyone, I think it's brilliant.
The beat is strong, and there are varying and different musical instruments in the song which just add to the brilliance of this song.
Lyrically, it seems to follow the ideas of drug dealers, murders and general city dwellings. The song is quite sinister is you listen carefully, but the way it's presented is fun and different and takes away from the worrying content in the lyrics. Billie Joe's voice is strong, as always, and although he changes it sometimes throughout the song, it is consistently strong and this adds to the greatness of the song.
"And he's gonna get high-igh-igh
When he's low low low
The fire burns from better days
And she screams, "Why, oh why?"
I said, "I don't know"
The catastrophic hymns from yesterday
Of misery"
The lyrics amuse me as much as the music in this song. I can't really describe it in a way that gives it justice! Just listen and you'll see what I mean.

Moving on to 'Deadbeat Holiday' which is a decent song as any, but nothing which I would say was particularly special. The sound is more similar to their 'old good sound' to most of the rest of the album, but I think it's quite an average song. However, I'm sure Green Day's older fans would appreciate this for the reminiscence of the good old days!
"Wake up, the house is on fire,
And the cat's caught in the dryer.
Philosophy's a liar,
When your home is your headstone"
The lyrics amuse me at the beginning of the song, but apart from that, nothing particularly amazes me about it.

'Hold On' opens with harmonica music, which is different, and quite unexpected! It gives a different edge to the song, as it gives it something different but still good. Billie Joe's voice fits well with the music, and as the harmonica features more throughout the song, it sounds quite at home in the piece, and is a good sound. I suppose it reminds me a bit of country music with the harmonica, but definitely not in a bad way, and is still a song worth listening to.
"When you lost all hope and excuses
And the cheapskates & losers
Nothing's left to cling onto
You got to hold on
Hold on to yourself"
It seems to indicate that things aren't as bad as they seem, and you need to be yourself. The song sounds quite happy due to the music and the rhythm, although the lyrics obviously have a serious side to them too.

'Jackass' is a song I haven't really listened to very often. It's not that it's a bad song, it's just nothing that strikes me as amazing, and probably something which didn't draw me in when I first listened to the album. The beat and music is good, standard Green Day (I never thought there would be a day when I call Green Day standard!) The song is the shortest on the album, and although it also reminds me of previous, older Green Day music, it just doesn't strike me as as good as that. It's ok, it's listenable, and the lyrics are fine, it's just not amazing.
"Everybody loves a joke
but no one likes a fool
and you're always cracking the same old lines again"

One of the singles off this album 'Waiting' comes next. The song is very catchy, and the guitar riffs are good. It reminds me of a more lively version of Warning, although I'm not sure why. The song appears to be broken up into bits, and although many of the lyrics are repeated, it still sounds impressive, and Billie Joe's abilities seem to shine in this song.
"I've been waiting for a long time
For this moment to come
I'm destined for anything at all"

'Minority' is the song which got me into Green Day. Once I was old enough to understand what it meant, I thought it was an even more brilliant song. The 'moral majority' is an interesting concept, and it's good to see Green Day even in 2000 looking down on politics and seeing the issues in it. It's not a terribly serious song, it just appears to poke fun at the way America works. I don't know what instrument it is I can hear when listening, but it has an almost Irish sound if that makes sense. It works well though and this is a brilliant song - it's catchy, and works very well with what it's trying to say.
"I wanna be the minority!
I don't need your authority!
Down with the moral majority!
'Cause I wanna be the minority!"

The final song on this album 'Macy's Day Parade' sounds lovely and acoustic. I love Billie Joe's voice when he sings acoustically. It sounds brilliant, so this is the perfect end to this album for me. It's a very good song, and something which doesn't have the Green Day 'sound' but sounds wonderful anyway. I've always loved acoustic songs, and this just sounds lovely. I can't praise this song enough.
"Give me something that I need
Satisfaction guaranteed
Because I'm thinking about
A brand new hope
The one I've never known
Cause now I know
It's all that I wanted"

So overall, I'm impressed with this album. I love everything Green Day have ever done to be honest, but this is one of my favourite album's of theirs. Their sound has changed throughout the years, but I think it's just grown, like they have.

This album is well worth a listen if you're interesting in rock music at all, and it's not too rocky so that even people less inclined to that kind of sound might enjoy it.

Their new album is out next month, and I'm personally very excited. They are also doing a World Tour starting in the summer, which I'm desperate to go to, as I missed them last time they were in the UK.

Thank you for reading. :) x

Summary: I personally love them!