21st Century Breakdown

Green Day comes back with the new rock opera

The US punk rock band Green Day has managed to make the unbelievable. In 2004, when their popularity began to decline, the trio released the conceptual rock opera American Idiot, which not only propelled the fame of the collective to the new level, but also was sold in a colossal number of copies. Overall, they sold about six million copies in the US only, and more than twelve million around the world. The most striking moment was that the disc was fulfilled in the best traditions of the 1970s’ rock operas – it meant that the album was to be listened on the whole in order to comprehend the entire message of the record. It seemed like the works of this type were far in the past, but the new long-play by Green Day has proved the opposite. The story of the uneasy life of the majority of Americans, the sharp political satire and philosophic speculations of soloist Billy Joe Armstrong found a vivid response not only in the hearts of his countrymen, but also among many developed countries. The concert record Bullet In A Bible: Live can be an illustration to this statement – you can here the cheering screams of the British fans and their singing together with Armstrong on each track of the live disc. Some time after the release the members of Green Day were busy with different projects and charity, but in 2008 they came into the studio to start recording the new disc. The producer of this work is Butch Vig. The disc 21st Century Breakdown is also a rock opera, as its predecessor, but it is even more daring and fascinating than American Idiot.

An ambitious and gorgeous record

May be, even the long-time fans of Green Day could hardly imagine that the talented trio would be able to overdo the success of the phenomenon disc American Idiot. However, they made it with the new long-play 21st Century Breakdown, divided into three parts - Heroes And Cons, Charlatans And Saints and Horseshoes And Handgrenades. The disc narrates a love story between a self-destructive youngster called Christian and a girl named Gloria, whose character is dreamful and idealistic. The most descriptive tracks that present us these characters are Christian's Inferno and Last Of The American Girls. The track East Jesus Nowhere became a real out-loud cry by Billy Joe Armstrong about the ways different religious organizations manipulate people. The powerful single Know Your Enemy is an appeal of the artists to both their own generation and to the growing up young people. The meaning of this address is simple – in order to fix today’s situation everyone should make a decision and do something. The grandiose opening track of the album 21st Century Breakdown also calls for action. The touching piano ballad Last Night On Earth is sure to sooth the listeners, as it is a pure water diamond of punk romantics. Filled with the angry satire track Before The Lobotomy demonstrates us Billy Joe’s falsetto, which is a new trick in his vocals and the emotional palette. Closer to the end of the disc you can find a powerful single by the band, titled 21 Guns with a killingly big chorus.

American Idiot was only an prelude to 21st Century Breakdown

In spite of all its power and beauty, the disc American Idiot proved to be a full-dress rehearsal to the album 21st Century Breakdown. It is one of the most anticipated releases of this year – no wonder as 21st Century Breakdown is the first record of fresh material by Green Day in about five years. Devoted to such topics as war, religion and power, this work has become one more sharp and sincere conviction by the Green Day of hypocrites of all kinds that manipulate the will of ordinary Americans. It may sound too pathetic, but Christian and Gloria, forsaken by both the church and the state, can be truly called the heroes of nowadays. The music of Green Day on 21st Century Breakdown has become more like the noble classical rock of such bands, as The Who and The Queen, not the jolly pop punk of their career start. The moods of the artists also have drastically changed – from the past mocking, scornful indifference to everything that happens in the world, they have moved to the call for immediate action on 21st Century Breakdown. The voice of Armstrong has become stronger and more piercing with years, while Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool have both made their best for the record. Drum playin of Tre Cool is worth particular mentioning – it was a really priceless contribution to the tense atmosphere on the record. With 21st Century Breakdown the artists will gather full stadiums for a long time. This work has been definitely worth waiting for five years.