Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown
Released May 15th, 2009
Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tre Cool
Genre: Punk rock
Intro
Following the absolute smash of American Idiot, 21st Century Breakdown releases a long 5 years after. This album often gets a bad wrap for not being as good as American Idiot, but I think that's bullshit. This album is AMAZING, and there are so many great songs on here that other bands would give anything to create. Some of these songs are some of the best I've ever heard, and I think this is an EXTREMELY underrated album. Maybe it's my sentimental value talking, let's see what I think below.
Thoughts & Feelings?
I have such a soft spot for this album, because this album was released just 10 days before I turned 12. I have VIVID memories of listening to this album everywhere I went. I remember the moment I was in my room and my dad came home from work with the CD in hand. Can you believe it? No spotify back in those days- you had to buy CD's. Anyway I put the CD in and listened about 3 times back to back. Good fucking days bro. Eventually I got the album downloaded and put onto my IPOD- crazy days.
This album makes me feel like I'm in a desolate wasteland- like legit the complete apocalypse. I'm in the middle of the desert like that one picture of Spongebob where Mr. Krabs and Squidward are wearing like fucking BDSM outfits in the desert- no idea how to describe it. Anyway yeah that's this album.
I also have bittersweet memories of this album because for my birthday 10 days later, I got tickets to go see Green Day, and that was one hell of a concert. I fucking loved it, and that's probably when Green Day became my favourite band of all time. A little Sharky lore, for those of you playing at home. Yeah that was a great show, and great band, and great FUCKING ALBUM. This album is OBJECTIVELY not as good as American Idiot, but I would beg to differ. I think this album is on the same tier. There are SO many amazing songs in this album that everyone can love. Some of their most iconic songs ever are featured here, so don't pass them up- AND the underrated beauties. This is a great album listen to it.
Smash or Pass?
Song of the Century - SMASH. What an intro. An absolute epic for an opening tidbit. Not necessarily an actual song or anything- but it's an amazing intro.
21st Century Breakdown - SMASH. This song is fucking FANTASTIC. It's super catchy, has that great rock and roll tone from American Idiot with some added guitar in the background- super amazing. This song is a great legit opening track to this album, and sets the tone for the story about to come. I also LOVE the bridge section. That part is fucking awesome. Also the breakdown at the end is amazing.
Know Your Enemy - SMASH AS FUCCKK. You likely know this song. It's such a big song that can get EVERYONE singing it. It's so easy and simple- which is why it's perfect. It's a perfect rock song to just get you going.
¡Viva la Gloria! - SMASH SO HARD I WANT TO CRY, this is probably the most beautiful Green Day song I've ever heard, it just makes me want to cry my fucking eyes out. This is one of those songs that only comes around once in a while. It's near perfect. The opening piano and violin section is IMMACULATE. PUT MORE INSTRUMENTS IN PUNK SONGS. Then all of a sudden it transitions into your typical punk rock fuck all ball to wall batshit amazingness. So FUCKING catchy, so fucking high energy, this song is just SO FUN. I am getting chills just listening to it again. This song perfectly demonstrates how talented this band is, the ability to write songs like this is so fucking difficult. This song is PERFECT.
Before the Lobotomy - Smash. This is a low point of the album, but that ain't saying much because this song is great. It just starts off super slow and then EVENTUALLY gets to the good part of the song. Like a big orange that you gotta peel the skin off to get to the juicy bit on the inside- that's what this song is. Once you get into the actual song it starts getting great. I love the way it builds up though it gets you so pumped. The re-introduction at the end is kinda neat, so I appreciate that.
Christian's Inferno - SMASH. Another UNDERRATED BEAUTY right here. This song isn't nearly the masterpiece that Viva La Gloria is, but it's still fucking FANTASTIC. That chorus gets stuck in my head more than hunger. I just love these high action, high pace fast punk rock songs. That's exactly what this is. It's so simple and so great. I especially love the laughing in this one, super good job Billie.
Last Night on Earth - SMAASSHHH CRY CRY CRY. This song holy fuck thank you Billie Joe for PERMANENTLY DAMAGING MY HEART CAUSE YOU MAKE ME FUCKING CRY BRO. This song is just so fucking heart gutting. I LOVE this song, and I'm not usually one for these types of slow songs. But holy shit Billie you just sing into my heart. This one I sing all the time cause it's just so soft and easy. Thank you for adding fucking piano in punk rock songs that shit is amazing.
East Jesus Nowhere - SSMMMAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSHHHHHHHHH. EASILY THE BEST SONG ON THIS ALBUM. I REMEMBER AS A KID I WOULD PLAY THIS FUCKING SONG ON REPEAT, AND IT'S STILL THE BEST FUCKING SONG EVER ON THIS ALBUM, ABSOLUTE PERFECTION, THIS IS IT THIS IS WHAT PUNK ROCK IS BABY LET'S FUCKING GO AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. SHOUTOUT TO JARROD, HE LOVES THIS FUCKING SONG HELL YEAH. SHOUTOUT TO WILL FERRELL FOR PLAYING THE COWBELL LIVE ON THIS ONE, GOOGLE THAT IT'S HILARIOUS.
Peacemaker - SMAAASSSHHHH. SHOUTOUT TO MY DAD, THIS IS HIS FAVOURITE GREEN DAY SONG OF ALL TIME <3 LOVE YOU DAD. Anyway yeah no surprise, dad has good taste. This song is AWESOME. It's so FUCKING unique. I LOVE the way this song is structured. This song is so swanky and that's all I can say. The part where it completely breaks down to only the guitar going back and forth through those 2 notes, holy fuck that shit drives me nuts.
Last of the American Girls - Smash. This song is great. I don't LOVE it, but it's great and I enjoy it. The bass is so awesome to hear loud. This one is super groovy and just gets you in a good mood. I especially love the swaying guitar, and the solo is pretty fucking awesome. I also really love how this song transitions into the next one.
Murder City - SMASH. This song is so catchy and fast, and I absolutely love the intro. This is that classic punk rock vibe that I'm always after. The chorus is super great and catchy, and once again this one transitions into another song and I love that a lot. This song is great, not my favourite but amazing still. Super underrated track.
¿Viva la Gloria? (Little Girl) - SMMAAASSSHHHH. THIS SONG IS A FUCKING BANG. Absolutely incredible song and I love it very much. This one is just such a unique song on this fucking album, all of these god damn songs are so unique in their own way. I can't help but groove along to this slapper of a tracker. Also transitions into the next song AGAIN. Super neat.
Restless Heart Syndrome - SMASH. I fucking LOVE this song. It's such a subtle bang. It's soft and heartbreaking, This is one of those slow songs that I can absolutely get behind. The vocals are just beautiful, I LOVE the background violin that comes in, that shit is mental. This song always makes me feel on edge, in like a good way. Like looking side to side wondering if someone is following me kind of on edge. It's pretty fucking neat, not sure how they accomplished this.
Horseshoes and Handgrenades - SMASH BABY. Back to the epic punk rock fuck you songs. I LOVE THIS SONG. The riff is absolutely groovy as fuck and this whole song is a bit spitfest it's incredible. I absolutely love when it gets super crazy and Billie is screaming and shit, that part fucking MWAH MWAH more of that please that shit is awesome.
The Static Age - SMASH. This song fucking KILLS ME DUDE. This song is so fucking perfect. It has everything you want. It has a great guitar, it has great vocals, great riffs, great drums, great bass, great build up, great verses, great pre-chorus, AMAZING chorus, amazing background vocals, like what the fuck this song is the CATCHIEST SONG EVER. I fucking love this song. This is probably my 3rd favourite song on this album just because of how GREAT it is. Everything works, nothing falls flat. Great song it's just so fun to sing and play this one. Highly recommended. Fucking, MWAH.
21 Guns - SMMMAAAASSSHHH. You know this song. You fucking know this song, everyone and their mums has heard this song. 21 Guns baby let's fucking go. Thank you sweet Billie sing your fucking song let's go. This song is amazing and makes me just want to cry. It does everything perfectly, kickass guitar, kickass moments, ICONIC fucking chorus, and the solo is fantastic and super fun to play. This song does a great job jumping back and forth between being slow and heavy, it's a great way to build up and release tension. Also that SEXY ass guitar lick in the back of the chorus, absolutely iconic and MWAH.
American Eulogy (A. "Mass Hysteria" / B. "Modern World") - SMASH. I fucking LOVE the re-intro, that shit is so fucking awesome. This song absolutely explodes after that and doesn't let up. Absolute balls to walls guitar going crazy people going crazy, this is basically the Homecoming of this album. I honestly never remember much about this song, but I can't help but sing along whenever it comes on. I fucking LOVE how Mike sings in this song, it's fucking AWESOME. SING MORE SONGS MIKE I FUCKING LOVE YOU. THIS SHIT IS SO FUCKING CATCHY.
See the Light - SMASH. I absolutely fucking LOVE the way these last 2 songs come full circle back to the beginning of the album. This fucking INTRO again holy shit so good.This is a great final track to leave off because it just does so much to circle back to the beginning. It's a perfect ending. I don't think I'd listen to this outside the album just because it's better to have it come back full circle. Absolute magic, thank you for having the perfect ending to an album.
Conclusion
Green Day did NOT flop after their huge hit American Idiot, but this album is always in the shadow of that. I don't think that's very fucking fair because this album kicks SO much ass. This album I would argue is AS GOOD as American Idiot. You can absolutely disagree, but I love this album just as much. Give this one a listen, because it will not sound like a typical Green Day album. There are slow piano songs, some fast pace punk songs, and everything in between. This album also features some of their most famous songs of all time.
RANK: S
What do you guys think? You think this album is worse than American Idiot? Okay then yell at me for it in the comments below. Love you all, hope everyone is having a great Saturday.
- Sharky
Comments
Post a Comment