GREEN
DAY
American Idiot
(Reprise)
www.greenday.com
“On
a steady diet of soda pop and Ritalin”
Focus.
If
nothing else, the poster boys for the punk pop revival have shown tremendous
acuity, maturity and sophisticated cynicism in the concept album masterpiece
that is American Idiot. What are words
like “mature” and “sophistication” doing in a Green Day review, you may
well ask…
Perhaps
it has something to do with the fact that our punk trio are now in their
thirties, married with kids and alert to the dangers facing American society in
this day and age. Yes, American Idiot
is a socio-political commentary in the vein of The Who’s Quadrophenia (down to the name of the protagonist – Jimmy) and on
that count it succeeds beyond anyone’s wildest imaginations.
Focusing
on the theme of alienation and dissatisfaction, the songs worked both
individually and as a whole to deliver a consistent message of shattered hopes
and dreams in the post-9/11 America.
The
wistful and heavy-hearted “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” conveys the pain of
loneliness – “My shadow’s the only one that walks beside me/My shallow
heart’s the only thing that’s beating/Sometimes I wish someone out there
would find me/’Til then I walk alone.”
The
sadly anthemic “Are We the Waiting” could almost be the loser’s hymn as
Billie Joe Armstrong sings – “the story of my life.” The catchy “Give Me
Novacaine” is breezy despite its subject matter as Armstrong begs for someone
to “Take away the sensation inside/Bittersweet migraine in my head.” The
charming “(Wake Me Up When September Ends)” almost sounds like a David Gates
composition save that the pain is so palpable, it hurts – “Here comes the
rain again/Falling from the stars/Drenched in my pain again/Becoming who we
are.”
Hard to believe but Green Day may have put together one of the albums of the year. Not only that, American Idiot may be a rarity in itself, a punk-opera concept album that works. A+
(a big thank you to Edward and Boon Pah for their input)