I've gotten a chance to listen to Green Day's new punk opera or whatever you want to call it. I think it's a very interesting and has the potential to be a very good album. I was wondering if anyone else has listened to it yet, and if so what do you think?

No I haven't, but I was planning on buying it tomorrow when it comes out. My local O.C. Reviewer Ben Wener says it's an A and one of the best of the year, so that's good enough for me, although I haven't bought any Green Day for awhile. I'll post once I've listened. I was also planning on getting the new Arcade Fire and Saturday Looks Good to Me, but I have to save up for three people to go to New Zealand next August and my daughter going to D.C. next Spring Break. I think new music AND beer might be out for about a year!

P.S. LT, you're comin' my way before August, I hope. Do you have locations, itinerary, etc. I have to hook up with hal. Sorry, MTegs.

I just spun it for the first time this morning. I'm in the office, so I couldn't listen closely to the lyrics, which are obviously a very big deal on this album, but I can say it's hooky as all get out, which will certainly bring me around for a later, closer listen.

mark, my conference in L.A. is scheduled for the middle of July, so I should be in with plenty of time to hang, drink beer, and stowaway in your luggage for the New Zeland trip!

Now Playing: "Someone To Watch Over Me" Art Tatum Piano Starts Here (Columbia)

I've now managed to listen to it a couple times, and I'm definitely liking it. It's nothing ground-breaking, though it is a very ambitious and different project. As catchy as Green Day's songs are, it sometimes is tough to pay real attention to the lyrics, but I think it's definitely one of Green Day's better efforts, if not their best.

Thanks for the comments guys

Now that I've heard it four times, my comments are similar to yours, MTegs, except that I always notice the lyrics, and besides, there's a lyric sheet with the cd. Yes, it does go by with plenty of riffs and changes in tempos, genres, etc., but it's mostly a pop-punk rock opera a la the Who's "Tommy." Now, I always thought "Tommy" was overlong, and this may be too, but it seems easier to digest and get through. It also sounds like it would play excellently in concert. I doubt any CRAZY would try to adapt it to film, like Ken Russell did with "Tommy"---YUCK!

I think it's a very solid album, but right now, I have doubts that it will crack my year-end list (well, wait a minute, that's always 20 albums, so I'll take that back.) I am happy to be able to hear new music such as this, what with the passing of Joey, DeeDee and Johnny Ramone, and Joe Strummer. Later, Sweet Gators.

I really liked it, but didnt love it. The songs were catchy and different (very un-Green Day) and the lyrics were adequate (sp?) but I was expecting a more cohesive story. To say that "American Idiot" is a punk rock opera is to say that any album whose songs have similair themes (The White Stripes "Elephant" for example) is an opera. In terms of story "American Idiot" doesnt deliver. Though I must say I enjoyed each individual track greatly. "City of the Damned" is a stand out track. Overall, as an album this is one of Green Days best, but there is absolutely nothing operatic about it....Oh well...

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Originally posted by Eccentro:
I really liked it, but didnt love it. The songs were catchy and different (very un-Green Day) and the lyrics were adequate (sp?) but I was expecting a more cohesive story. To say that "American Idiot" is a punk rock opera is to say that any album whose songs have similair themes (The White Stripes "Elephant" for example) is an opera. In terms of story "American Idiot" doesnt deliver. Though I must say I enjoyed each individual track greatly. "City of the Damned" is a stand out track. Overall, as an album this is one of Green Days best, but there is absolutely nothing operatic about it....Oh well...

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Ah, misspoke. The game definately has a cohesive story just not one that intrests me...at all.

Hey, E, give it a chance. It seems like a very honest story conceived by someone who has just had their "cocooned" life broken. It might even be comparable to the rock opera that is "Hedwig." Have you ever heard "Dookie"?, because you said Green Day doesn't believe in hooks/riffs, but that entire album is all hooks/riffs. "American Idiot" pretty much covers the life of an abused/neglected child who feels the need to revolt, who goes insane, who knows better than any of his lineage what's going on, but that doesn't stop him from "dying" due to what's expected of him from living. Yes, that's a major oversimplification, but at least, it's a start.

The best album since nimrod. The songs have clever lyrics, more well-thoughtout and opinionated than previous Green Day lyrics. The words aren't about girls, alcohol, getting wasted, or being a pathetic loser, as most of previous GD stuff was. Not that the old stuff wasn't good, but American Idiot is more intelligent. And while I may not agree with their political views, I respect and love their new record.

It is alright...I guess. To be perfectly honest, the only Green Day album that I completely enjoyed would be "Dookie". So good songs on one cd it is incredible. I think that it is good that they are starting to mature as a band, but I sure do miss the old Green Day. On the plus side, it DOES have catchy songs and "American Idiot" is good, but it is no "Dookie".

I just downloaded the new green day album, basically cause i wanted the "american idiot" song...but, i really like a lot of the songs...

Mike, I agree.."dookie" was a really good one..i think i have all of Green Day's albums..it is nice to hear a slight change in there music, its a good change...

The new greenday album is awesome. definitely a modern classic.

As far as i am concerned this is the best green day album by far. It is so much more ambitious, and such a more complete album than anything they released before.

I know it isn't going to happen, but i wish they would release "Jesus of Suburbia" as a single. With the popularity of the band right now, video stations and radio would be forced to play it. And people would love it, because it is a phenomenal song. And because of the length of the song it would get played a bit less, which might help to keep the album from getting over saturated with many.

It sucks. The only Green Day worth listening to for any extended period of time is Dookie.

So, I finally picked up American Idiot and I was STUNNED by the variety of styles and the neverending stack of sweet melodies that the boys came up with. I've always been a so-so GD fan (I have Dookie and the hits disc but kind of lost interest after Dookie) but I can't say anything bad about them, but the genre-shifting they do here (sometimes in ONE SONG!) is a huge step up for them.

Notably, I was blown away by the use of Beach Boys-influenced vocal harmonies during part IV ("Dearly Beloved") of the "Jesus of Suburbia" suite and then the stark transition to "Tales of Another Broken Home" which sounds like a distant cousin to Social Distortion's cover of "Ring of Fire". There's a vaguely New Wave-y sound to "Are We The Waiting"...the drumbeat and echoed choruses remind me of the Icicle Works' classic "Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)". And "Extraordinary Girl" echoes Jellyfish's "The King is Half-Undressed"...the whole album has a power-pop feel to it, even when amped up. These "borrowed" melodies still sound fresh and original, even if they conjure up memories of other songs. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", which shares its melody with Oasis' "Wonderwall" doesn't sound ripped off.

This is a really good, ambitious, and varied record. It could have easily broken into my Top 20 for 2004 if I had picked it up sooner.

I agree with most of what you say. I'd easily put it in my Top 20, if I did one. My best friend kept saying, "It sounds like the Undertones' first album!" I said, "Which song?" He said , "All of 'em." I said, "Nope, that's too easy and too wrong!" The drumming DID sound like Undertones' Billy Doherty though.

I've heard the two singles ("American Idiot" and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams") on the radio, quite a few times. To my ears, those two songs don't sound very different to Green Day's earlier efforts, but I'm probably missing a lot by not hearing the other album tracks, especially if this is some sort of concept album ("punk rock opera" just sounds silly).

The concept of "Jesus of Suburbia" is interesting, even though I haven't heard the song.

While the songs never fail to have a Green Day sound, the songs I like BEST are the ones that sound least like the stereotypical GD tracks...they're not pogoing punk or balladry like "Time of Your Life"...they've got a more New Wave or power pop or skinny tie/mod pop vibe.

I think there are some good things about American Idiot, but also some grating things...

First of all, some of their lyrics come off as more or less generic angry liberal protests. Even though I tend to agree with some of their sentiment, they come off as if they're saying it not because they strongly believe in it, but more because they want to come off as all nonconformist and defiant.

Second of all, the lead singer does not have a good voice. In screaming songs you don't notice but when he tries to be melodic in any way it starts to get really grating.

Though, there are a few pretty tight rock songs on there like American Idiot and Jesus of Suburbia. Musically, it's a pretty solid album.

I agree about the lyrics...I've sort of ignored them, to be honest. I think they push the anti-establishment line, but it seems a little forced. But, reading interviews with them, they seem sincere. I guess they could have been "real" punks and defend some kind of anrachism, but they aimed at a big (and easy) target: the Bush man.

I guess Billie Joe isn't a great singer, but his voice never seems out of place in the songs. He doesn't try to do things he shouldn't, as far as I can tell. I like his voice, even on the ballad-y stuff.

This record has grown even more on me in the past few weeks. I can't stop playing it in the car...