Every once in a while I get consumed by something, be it a passion for a new sport, a certain video game, a new exercise program, or in this case a wonderful (dare I say brilliant) new CD.
American Idiot, Green Day’s latest CD, is my new definition of brilliance. I have listened to this album (do they call them that anymore?) every day for a couple of weeks now. It is my morning ritual on the way to work, and it is always blaring on the way home from a hard day at the office. I even try to play it once or twice during the day, but there are too many interruptions to make that enjoyable.
I have never been a fan of Green Day, and I am certainly about as far as you can get from punk or anti-conformist, which has always been my perception of Green Day. Politics aside, this CD keeps getting better and better with each play.
I am not a music critic so I am not going to write a proper review or anything. Just let it be said that American Idiot is brilliant, gets better the more you play it, and is best served up very loud. Seriously, the louder I play the thing, the better.
Brilliance, pure and simple – American Idiot.
We still call them albums JC, don’t panic.
I too am a good distance away from anti-conformist – I do need a haircut, but that’s as close as I’m getting. I too think American Idiot is an utterly fantastic collection of songs, though I have to point out that despite my non-punkiness I am a long-standing Green Day fan.
Curiosity drives me to ask if you have any particular favourite songs on there? I was asked that question the other day and found I couldn’t answer.
Cheers,
Adam
Adam interestingly enough I am hard pressed to list my favourite songs. The album (glad I am not that outdated yet!) is very strong and connects so well that it is a difficult task to come up with the best of the best.
Here goes anyway:
1. Jesus Of Suburbia/City Of The Damned/I Don’t Care …
This one is so damn powerful and says a lot about life in general. Funny story – I was really pissed off at work last week because I had to step in on the Production moves. This is not really my area any more unless my team is moving code. In this case it would have gone to hell in a hand basket if I did not care what was going on with the builds. So "I don’t care if you don’t care" was pretty much my line for a couple of days. Of course I care too much to let it all go to pot.
2. Letterbomb
Right now since I am pressed for an answer and I am also pressed for time. The lyrics are not really me or anything, but it just flows or something. Interestingly enough, the first 10 days I had this CD I did not even pick up on most of the lyrics – I just enjoyed the music. Now I blast it and try to pick out some of the points.
3. Wake Me Up When September Ends
Not sure – something about this one tugs at me.
I could really go on and on … I better stop. Really – this album is very good. "Can I get another Amen? (Amen!)"
So if I *love* this album, and I like the song "When I Come Around" what other Green Day songs should I download? Do they have another album that is worth the price of the whole thing (instead of downloading a few songs from iTunes)?
Difficult one to answer, that. The ‘Nimrod’ album should be worth a throw – musically it’s the closest to American Idiot that I can think of. I also find Warning an impossible album to dislike, though it isn’t a typical Green Day album – there’s more of a folk influence in evidence.
The only album I’d advise you should definitely stay away from is 1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours, which is very much for the Green Day completist only. Otherwise, you could probably find something to like about every other album in their back catalogue.