Exploited Class
9th October 2004, 17:53
Here is an impressive release from a well seasoned punk band accepted by the mainstream. Green Day takes a little bit of a risk of not having a radio release, MTV videos and promotion by naming their album after the first track, American Idiot. Unfortunately stooped in subtle irony, it is probably because of America's idiocy that it will suffer in sales, promotion and air play.
As musicians, comedians, political activists, try to get their bearings straight to speak on the topic of 9-11 carefully treading to stay away from American ultra-patriotism, labels of being unpatriotic and American haters, Green Day comes out and calls the situation as it sees it. Politically the album is a dull knife, it has a point to it but fortunetly the political message is tastefully done, taking any sting of sharpness that has been seen on other albums post 9-11.
Minus the Title of the Album and the matching Title of the first song, much of the political messages are somewhat encrypted and have to be listened to carefully to decipher the intent. Some guess work is required but with a title of an album like "American Idiot" it is the Rosetta stone that allows the translation direction to be taken. Rage Against The Machine, this is not, but then again when has Green Day ever really had a message in a song that was bold and didn't require a degree of intelligence and patience to understand fully?
The music itself on the album is a much more mature sound from Green Day. It has changed but the older sound is still echoing in there. American Idiot could have appeared on any of Green Days previous albums and would not have stuck out. Likewise so would St. Jimmy, Extraordinary Girl. Which is good because the album does allow for fans of Green Day's sound to still be heard.
However, changing up their style and method has allowed for fans who have matured over the years with Green Day to appreciate the new sound Green Day is presenting.
The Ballads have changed slightly, a little more slower, deeper sound, more instruments. The songs do have pick up punk points, that remind the listener as they are being carried away by an almost soft musical bliss, that this is still Green Day and this is still punk.
Perhaps one of the best songs on the album is Wake Me Up When September Ends. A very non-insulting song over a very real tragedy. Treading softly, the lyrics take the listener with Billie Joe Armstrong, as he reflects upon the event at the time, previous and post. As he tries to understand the situation and also enlighten with his own personal feelings and reasons on the event. Tasteful and poetic in nature, this song had the ability to remind me how confusing it was to try and make sense not of just the event, but the people, politics, ultra-patriotism following everything.
Overall, I am very pleased with the album in whole. Green Day did a great job of changing their music with their maturity, keeping old sounds around to not alienate fans, introducing new sounds very well as if they had been playing that style on several past albums. The lyrics are there to listen to and try to understand and have many possible perspectives one can take on them.
I rate the album an overall A.
As musicians, comedians, political activists, try to get their bearings straight to speak on the topic of 9-11 carefully treading to stay away from American ultra-patriotism, labels of being unpatriotic and American haters, Green Day comes out and calls the situation as it sees it. Politically the album is a dull knife, it has a point to it but fortunetly the political message is tastefully done, taking any sting of sharpness that has been seen on other albums post 9-11.
Minus the Title of the Album and the matching Title of the first song, much of the political messages are somewhat encrypted and have to be listened to carefully to decipher the intent. Some guess work is required but with a title of an album like "American Idiot" it is the Rosetta stone that allows the translation direction to be taken. Rage Against The Machine, this is not, but then again when has Green Day ever really had a message in a song that was bold and didn't require a degree of intelligence and patience to understand fully?
The music itself on the album is a much more mature sound from Green Day. It has changed but the older sound is still echoing in there. American Idiot could have appeared on any of Green Days previous albums and would not have stuck out. Likewise so would St. Jimmy, Extraordinary Girl. Which is good because the album does allow for fans of Green Day's sound to still be heard.
However, changing up their style and method has allowed for fans who have matured over the years with Green Day to appreciate the new sound Green Day is presenting.
The Ballads have changed slightly, a little more slower, deeper sound, more instruments. The songs do have pick up punk points, that remind the listener as they are being carried away by an almost soft musical bliss, that this is still Green Day and this is still punk.
Perhaps one of the best songs on the album is Wake Me Up When September Ends. A very non-insulting song over a very real tragedy. Treading softly, the lyrics take the listener with Billie Joe Armstrong, as he reflects upon the event at the time, previous and post. As he tries to understand the situation and also enlighten with his own personal feelings and reasons on the event. Tasteful and poetic in nature, this song had the ability to remind me how confusing it was to try and make sense not of just the event, but the people, politics, ultra-patriotism following everything.
Overall, I am very pleased with the album in whole. Green Day did a great job of changing their music with their maturity, keeping old sounds around to not alienate fans, introducing new sounds very well as if they had been playing that style on several past albums. The lyrics are there to listen to and try to understand and have many possible perspectives one can take on them.
I rate the album an overall A.