Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown Review

Posted by Tom Santoro on 05.16.2009

The pop punk rockers return for another conceptual album focusing on the decline of American ideals and its people's general apathy. The protest song is back ladies and gents!

TRACK LISTING:

1. Song of the Century

ACT I: Heroes and Cons

2. 21st Century Breakdown
3. Know Your Enemy
4. Viva La Gloria!
5. Before the Lobotomy
6. Christian’s Inferno
7. Last Night on Earth

ACT II: Charlatans and Saints

8. East Jesus Nowhere
9. Peacemaker
10. Last of the American Girls
11. Murder City
12. Viva La Gloria? (Little Girl)
13. Restless Heart Syndrome

ACT III:Horseshoes and Handgrenades

14. Horseshoes and Handgrenades
15. The Static Age
16. 21 Guns
17. American Eulogy
18. See The Light



Drastic times call for drastic measures! It took eight years of George W. Bush to help Green Day focus more on their punk sensibilities. Over the majority of the past 20 years, the band rarely touched on societies ills as subject matter instead they favored subjects like boredom, light drug abuse and chasing down girls. Their knack for writing catchy songs and smart-alecky lyrics has helped them to grow into a surprising voice of a generation who is lost in apathy.

Their sentiment of focusing on the world around them rather than themselves began on the so called “Punk Rock Opera” American Idiot. The concept album told a story about a couple who lost their American Dream due to the war in Iraq. The band’s political views were put into context of how the government’s actions affect people.

The newest release, 21st Century Breakdown, is far more ambitious and focused than American Idiot. It follows two characters, Christian and Gloria, as they try to cope with the decline of everything around them. The band tells their story in three acts as they use Christian and Gloria as a way to convey their feelings about apathy, the government, technology and religion. Act I focuses on how politicians have let us down amidst the people’s indifference to making the elected officials accountable. Act II struggles to regain faith while taking some aggressive actions. Act III focuses on how technology has made us even lazier even though more information is available.

For this album, Green Day commissioned Butch Vig to produce. For those who are ignorant to his credentials, he is the super producer of some of rocks most iconic albums such as Nirvana’s Nevermind and Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream. He also is the drummer for Garbage. Vig expands the band’s sound by incorporating usage of lush piano chords and louder guitars to match the lyrical calls to action provided by Billie Joe Armstrong.

21st Century Breakdown explores how the country and its people’s desire for government accountability have declined since the turn of the century. The songs ask whatever happened to outrage and protest of egregious governmental overstepping. Yes, there is activism, but usually it is dismissed as liberal crazies like Cindy Sheehan whose eccentricities got lost in the media shuffle. The opening act takes a look at the malaise and apathy of Gen X (and younger) and how it has allowed the Government to trample on its rights.

The opening song is a short introduction, “Song of The Century”, that is simple and sweet. It sounds like it is being played on an old phonograph to help remind you of when times were simpler. Then an anthemic piano chord slowly plays like a call to action on perhaps the best song the band has ever produced, “21st Century Breakdown”.

The song has been compared to Bruce Springsteen best work and is a beautiful slice of Americana. Its subject provides the setting for the entire albums narrative and speaks on the decline of America. Midway through the song, the band kicks into high gear with a tempo changing Irish Punk. During this part Armstrong declares, ”My Name is no one/your long lost son/born on the 4th of July/raising bygones of heroes and cons.”. Towards the end the band shifts tempo again in Queen like fashion where the narrator declares, ”Oh, Dream America, Dream/I Can’t even sleep”. I interpreted it to be that the American Dream is dead. I could go on and on analyzing this song because it truly is a masterpiece of song writing and production.

The next track is lead single, “Know Your Enemy”. It is a call to action to light a fire under your ass to open your eyes to see the things going on in the world. Similar in message to “American Idiot” where Green Day attacked the stupidity of Americans who believed the fear mongering messages spewed out of the Bush Administration, “Know Your Enemy” is not as lighthearted or subtle. It is a song of protest trying to incite a revolution in 3 minutes as it declares our silence is an enemy to justice. Out of the guitar solo, Armstrong screams, ”Violence is an Energy/Silence is an enemy/So gimme gimme revolution.”

The next few songs introduce the characters at the center of the story. The first is “Viva La Gloria!” which starts as a pretty string arrangement before breaking into a three chord rocker. As a character Gloria is the person Armstrong uses to plant the seeds of revolution, the voice of the underground. As a single it is not one of my favorites, but it helps introduce the Gloria character.

The next two songs are strong points of the album, “Before the Lobotomy” and “Christian’s Inferno”. “Before the Lobotomy” starts with a sweet acoustical guitar with lyrics of Christian’s wholesome upbringing. As the song progresses, it talks about how Christian has always done what he has been told, but the realities of his surroundings are taking a toll on him. This segue’s into “Christian’s Inferno”, where Christian finally erupts. Mike Dirnt’s bass line and Tre Cool’s drum beat during the verses are dark and tight.

Act I ends on “Last Night on Earth”, a cool down from the blistering “Christian’s Inferno”. It is this album’s, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”. It serves as the calm before the storm as Christian and Gloria head into anarchy. Curtain close end Act I.

Act II begins with an adjustment to tuning in a radio, which kicks into “East Jesus Nowhere”, a sonic rocker that explores the band's view on religion. It attacks politicians/right wing fanatics who hide behind one religion, while condemning others.

“Peacemaker” is one of the best songs on the album. It’s an acoustic laden gypsy style complete with chanting “hey, hey, heys.” Armstrong’s lyrical delivery make this song very likeable.

The rest of Act II looks at Gloria’s idealistic view of shaping her future versus Christian’s overly aggressive approach. “Last of the American Girls” focuses on Gloria’s idealism and is a catchy probable single. In contrast, “Murder City” is Christian at full throttle with music to match. It is the pinnacle of the stories conflict.

Act II ends with “Viva La Gloria? (Little Girl)” furthering Christian as an over the top nihilist who is out of control. It gives the impression that Gloria feels they have gone too far and Christian has turned on her as just another person who hides behind words. The final song before the curtain falls is “Restless Heart Syndrome”, a Beatles-esque trip of self-realization and slight regret.

The final Act fails to really rap up the story though the songs are some of the albums best. “Horseshoes and Handgrenades” opens with the line, “I’m not fucking around”. Its bouncy punk chords and rage make it one of the best songs on the album.

“The Static Age” is vintage Green Day with super catchy guitar hooks. The song envisions a world without mass media or gross commercialism. It is Armstrong’s hope that people will go back to thinking for themselves rather than relying on talking heads to tell the people what to think. The song leads into the ominous “21 Guns”. Its message is that your voice can be heard but don’t be self destructive. It is another highlight on the album.

“American Eulogy” is another tempo changer that hopes the class of 2013 (Armstrong’s son is set to graduate that year) will grow up in a new world that questions authority without the use of modern means. “See the Light” implores this generation to wake up and realize what has/is going on around them before it is too late. Shockingly, it does not feel as though Green Day has faith in the Obama Administration to fix all the damage Bush 43 caused, he calls on the people to be the ones to enact true change.

The 411: 21st Century Breakdown builds on American Idiot and will solidify Green Day as the best songwriters of this generation. In fact I think Billie Joe Armstrong may be the closest thing we have to John Lennon in terms of songwriting. Butch Vig's production pushes the band to new heights with usage of pianos and louder guitars. Its message of mobilization against the decline of a once great country and the hypocrises of its leaders is something that is timeless and hopeful for generations to come. Simply a masterpiece.

Final Score:  9.0   [  Amazing ]