Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown

Title: 21 Century Breakdown (Limited Edition Digi-pack)
Artist: Green Day
Genre: Punk/Rock
Release Date: 15th May 2009
Label: Warner Music



Album Review

GREEN DAY continues their musical career with making a second theme record (‘American Idiot’ which came in 2004 was the first one). ‘21 Century Breakdown’ is built in three acts, “Heroes and Cons”, “Charlatans and Saints” and “Horseshoes and Handgrenades”. On this record we follow the characters Gloria and Christian through the 21st century. The record is GREEN DAY’s eight studio album and it is produced together with Butch Vig.

‘21 Century Breakdown’ is the first song on the record and it is a really good and strong song to start the album with. The first single from the record ‘Know Your Enemy’ is a fast and catchy song; it comes with a really cool and thought worthy video. ‘Before The Lobotomy’ is simply brilliant, it starts slow and fragile before it turns into something tougher. I like how the first part of the lyrics returns again in the end of the song. ‘Last Night on Earth’ is a beautiful love song; I really like how Billy Joe sings on it! The song ‘East Jesus Nowhere’ is one of my favourite songs on the record! It has great guitar, a rougher edge and catchy lyrics: “A fire burns today, of blasphemy and genocide. The sirens of decay will infiltrate the faith fanatics”. The song ‘¿Viva La Gloria? [Little Girl]’ is cool and different, I really like it. ‘See the Light’ is another favourite on the record with a catchy chorus “I just want to see the light; I don’t want to lose my sight. I just want to see the light; I need to know what’s worth the fight”.

‘21 Century Breakdown’ is a really good album with a good mix of songs that has great potential to be even better live. I like how the songs are built musically with some slower songs that become faster when the tempo changes. The songs that have some Spanish / Mexican influences are really cool and interesting; the lyrics are strong and sharp. ‘21 Century Breakdown’ has 18 tracks and is 70 minutes long, maybe this is too much for some but I enjoy every minute of it!


Tracklist

01. Song of the Century
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Act I - Heroes and Cons
02. 21st Century Breakdown
03. Know Your Enemy
04. iViva La Gloria!
05. Before The Lobotomy
06. Christians Inferno
07. Last Night on Earth
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Act II - Charlatans and Saints
08. East Jesus Nowhere
09. Peacemaker
10. Last of American Girls
11. Murder City
12. ¿Viva La Gloria? [Little Girl]
13. Restless Heart Syndrome
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Act III - Horseshoes and Handgrenades
14. Horseshoes and Handgrenades
15. The Static Age
16. 21 Guns
17. American Eulogy:
      A. Mass Hysteria
      B. Modern World
18. See the Light

The Limited Edition Digi-pack version of the album included a hard cover book with 52 pages of full colour lyrics and pictures.


Line up

Billie Joe Armstrong - guitar, piano and lead vocals
Mike Dirnt - bass, vocals
Tré Cool - drums, percussion,


Website

http://www.greenday.com/


Cover Picture