Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown
|
List Price: Our Price: $5.19 You Save: $13.79 (73%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $2.33 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for 21st Century Breakdown
Free Music Review: An unbelievable album!! Green Day saves rock and roll!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
I'm 43, so my heart is of a classic rocker!! So with that said, you hope a new modern day "Sgt. Pepper", "Led Zeppelin 4", "Tommy", "Born To Run" or "Dark Side of the Moon" emerges. Why? Because you can't always live in the past. Through the years, I witnessed these reincarnations of classic rock albums being born and they lived up to their standards: "The Joshua Tree", "Nevermind", "Ten" and yes....."American Idiot".
So here were are, it is 2009 and the music industry has been slammed by declining CD sales, but declining music purchasing sales overall, including the surge of downloading, is the bottom line. The new Springsteen and U2 CDs this year have been very respectable and that's OK. But early this year, critics saw that on the horizon, the first words of a new Green Day CD were coming out. It is the follow-up to "American Idiot"...but how can you follow-up to that masterpiece? Yes, it's five years already since "American Idiot" was released but it only felt like two years since that album grew as a monster on its own. Radio programmers couldn't get enough of it.
So now, it is time for "21st Century Breakdown", a modern day classic concept album during the Obama years...basically, a how-to-survive after the rotten Bush years-guide. And boy, we need survival!! Economic collapse, the wars in the Middle East/Gulf region, and swine flu.
Simply, "21st Century Breakdown" is this generation's "The Wall", "Abbey Road" or "Exile on Main Street". The songs follow in order perfectly. It rocks when it is supposed to rock, it's sincere when it needs to be, and then it is both, combining to create a CD of mega proportions. It makes you want more and more and when it finishes, well, you play it again....just like you did when you bought "Bat Out of Hell". It is a journey.
So those reviews you've read that says this CD is no good, go back and listen your Beyonce or Mariah Carey or Hanna Montana CDs because there is no way that if you know excellent music, you will say that is no good. CONGRATS GREEN DAY!!!
Free Music Review: Not American Idiot but great, better than anything else
Hit: 5 Stars
Green Day's American Idiot was the height of the first 10 years of rock of the 2000s. Nothing else came close. So to say that 21st Century Breakdown falls short of American Idiot is simply to say they're still the best but not setting world records any more.
While American Idiot told an incredible musical story with almost every song, 21st Century Breakdown falls apart in a few places as rock opera. The story isn't as strong or compelling, and most of the music suffers as a result.
The CD is meant to be listened to as a whole, although there are a few standout songs with single/hit potential. My favorites are:
Peacemaker - in my opinion the most original song on the CD and the best musically
¡Viva La Gloria! - very fun to listen to with a clearly Green Day sond
Know Your Enemy - I hear this is getting some radio play. I don't think it's the best song on the CD but very good with a driving green day beat
Horseshoes and Handgrenades - this has a good raw production quality that offsets the slickness elsewhere
I think the title track is a little lethargic. The "Song of the Century" prelude is OK if you are listening to the whole CD front to end but annoying on an MP3 player in shuffle mode, it's not made to be listened to by itself. Before the Lobotomy, Last Night on Earth, Restless Heart Syndrome are all too melancholy without having the effect or meaning of the superior Boulevard Of Broken Dreams and Wake Me Up When September Ends from American Idiot.
Even the best songs on 21st Century Breakdown don't reach the raw power and emotion of American Idiot (title track from the CD of that name), Jesus of Suburbia, or St. Jimmy. Thrown in both Boulevard Of Broken Dreams and Wake Me Up When September Ends from American Idiot and all 5 of those are better than anything on 21st Century Breakdown.
Still, Green Day fans should love this CD. Not every CD can be the best, this is still great.
Free Music Review: Almost 20 Years...and going strong.
Hit: 5 Stars
In my life there are two things that my own mother predicted incorrectly. The fact that the Simpsons would be gone after their second season and that Green Day would disappear after Dookie faded from the air waves. Now after almost 2 decades Green Day is showing just how strong they are, and at the same time reaching new levels of musicianship, song writing and mature attitude.
I have to admit when American Idiot was released it wasn't something I was happy about. I was always living in the days of loud teenaged angst Green Day. I thought that the days of Punk mixed with politics were long gone. Now with 21st Century Breakdown, I see what Green Day is trying to accomplish. They are trying to create music that sends a message about life. They show the truths of the real world, and the impact is has on the human spirit. Also they aren't kids anymore, they are showing that they have room to grow and because of that their music has compared them to rock opera Gods like U2 and The Who. I guess as a fan who has listened to them since age 11 never imagined a band to grow up along with me.
This new album is a triumph. They worked on what they started with American Idiot and smoothed out the chinks in the design. The music flows better, the styles of each song are distinct innovative and of course they have no problem throwing the old Green Day guitar rifts in there that made them legends of the punk/pop world. Wal-Mart really shot themselves in the foot with the impact this album is going to make at the end.
21st Century Breakdown is a great listen. One of the best of 2009 by far and no doubt will be recognized for a Grammy Nomination. Who would have thought that as of 2010, it will be 20 years since Green Day's first release? Not only that, but 8 studio albums, a greatest hits and the honor of re-creating the Simpsons theme for the movie! Well Mom, it looks like it all came full circle.
Free Music Review: IS GREEN DAY THE GREATEST BAND OF ALL TIME? MY REVIEW EXPLAINS WHY THEY ARE
Hit: 5 Stars
THE RIFFS: Green Day has heart-throbbing mean nasty ultra cool riffs. Green Day's guitar riffs are so lightning awesome, their riffs are so ultra slick and down right mean. Green Day's riffs are full of rad, their riffs are so heart-throbbing super powerful mean, down right nasty punk riffs. If you don't like it you don't know what nasty is. If you don't like Green Day's riffs you should remove your eyeliner 'cus you ain't a real punk and you make the rest of us look bad. Their riffs are surfs-up down and nasty mean, ultra cool.
THE LYRICS: Green Day's lyrics are deeper than the deepest heart ever. Their lyrics penetrate to my core & scream "I Am HUMAN, hear me ROAR", and I DO roar, every time I hear Green Day's lyrics I think "Oh wow these lyrics are so cool I just have to roar". Their lyrics are so thought-provoking they would embarrass Bob Dylan. Green Day's lyrics are so powerful that if lyrics were like hands then Green Day's lyrics would be big enough to grab mountains and swing them around while I watch from a distance and roar. Green Day's lyrics are like listening to the Bible being read to you from a tape, but all the lyrics in the Bible are written by Green Day and Jesus doesn't come back in the end.
THE LOOK: Don't deny they got some new-school class. Class is in session this semester and Green Day has a profession for dressin' up in session for sweet looks, all the girls love it. Don't be jealous just cus you ain't got no style, you ain't got no flash, you ain't got no legit shoes or legit jackets, you just a poser. You ain't got Green Day's look so don't try it. They got style to make the girls smile and you DON'T crocodile. You ain't got no clue how to dress. Green Day has mean fashion skills, down right NASTY fashion skills, nasty fashion. Girls love it. Girls love my new shoes - you want some? Come get some.
That's why Green Day's the best band ever.
Free Music Review: Simply amazing
Hit: 5 Stars
I was so enamored w/American Idiot, I could hardly wait for a new release. Unlike most, I loved Warning at least as much as their earlier stuff. The way their music has matured along w/their audience must have been a difficult line to walk. I don't understand the people who claim this is American Idiot part 2. It's a totally different vibe. Personally, I think this one is superior musically, even though I still like AI better. As usual, Billie's lyrics on 21st Century are stunningly poetic. Just to read the lyrics is an experience in itself. These guys outdid themselves. The variations in the music throughout are impressive. I miss albums, the kind you want to listen to from start to finish. This is an album, & even though it took a few listens before I loved it, I could hardly be happier in the risks that they take. To keep bashing them for not being "punk enough" is just immature. If they were still playing the same 1994 style, they'd be tired & insignificant. They grew w/out growing old. That's a feat that not many people accomplish, punk or not.
Some of the amazing lyrics:
"Falling through broken glass that's slashing through your spirit"
"Put your faith in a miracle
and it's non-denominational
join the choir, we'll be singing
in the church of wishful thinking"
"You're a stray for the Salvation Army
There is no place like home when you've got no place to go"
"So what ails you is what impales you
I feel like I've been crucified to be satisfied"
"Idle thoughts lead to full-throttle screaming"
(particularly apt in these screaming matches over politics)
And my absolute favorite:
"Maybe you're the runner up
But the first one to lose the race
Almost only really counts in
Horseshoes & hand grenades"
Seriously, who is better at turning a phrase??