Alas! Poor Greenday. Since their initial commercial success in
1994 with “Dookie,” Greenday has always been labeled a “juvenile”
band. After over fifteen years together, Greenday is still the
voice of the average twelve to seventeen-year-old male suburbanite,
despite the fact that all three members are now in their
mid-thirties.

On their latest album, “American Idiot,” Greenday appears to be
breaking their own mold and attempting to venture into uncharted
territory (for them).

Anyone who has watched MTV during the last month has probably
seen the video for the title track off of “American Idiot.” Without
hearing the rest of the album, the “American Idiot” video gives the
viewer the impression that Greenday has hit rock-bottom.

In addition to the “Double Dare”-inspired green slime showers of
the video (which seem to symbolize Greenday’s connection with the
Nickelodeon crowd), the song “American Idiot” paints an image of a
desperate Greenday; willing to do anything to get back in the spot
light, even write a third-rate, wannabe political punk song.

The lyrics are just a series of unrelated, semi-clever,
clich�d one-liners such as “I’m not a part of a Redneck
agenda/ now everybody do the propaganda.” Lead singer Billie Joe
Armstrong’s “fifteen-year-old with a cold” voice doesn’t make the
song sound any more mature either.

If you ever get a chance to listen to “American Idiot” in its
entirety, skip the first track.

It’s easily the worst song on the album. The song that gets the
ball rolling on “American Idiot” is “Jesus of Suburbia.”

This song is the first of the two nine-minute-long tracks that
attract so much attention. For a nine minute pop-punk song, “Jesus
of Suburbia” is surprisingly good, but it pales in comparison to
the king of lengthy political-punk rock; “The Decline” by NOFX
(clocking in at an exhausting, yet exhilarating 18 minutes).

Apparently, Greenday is claiming that “American Idiot” is a
“rock opera.” Hardly.

If “American Idiot” is a rock opera, then it is weak at best.
The story and lyrics are much too flimsy for it to be a decent rock
opera.

“American Idiot” is a concept album about American teenage
disillusionment. This is appropriate, because that is what Greenday
knows best, but up until now, has failed to address seriously.

The rest of “American Idiot” plays like a rollercoaster ride. It
reaches high points with killer tracks “Jesus of Suburbia,” “Give
Me Novocaine” and “She’s a Rebel,” but then it hits low points with
boring pop-rock duds like “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” and “Wake Me
Up When September Ends.”

I am pleased to say, however, that most of “American Idiot” is a
high point. Greenday seems to be having fun experimenting with new
instruments and sounds throughout the album; including steel guitar
and saxophone on “Homecoming” and the suspiciously Flaming Lips-ish
sound of “Give Me Novocaine.”

“American Idiot” is not a rock opera. If Greenday had not
marketed it as one, it would not be as disappointing as it was.

Regardless of the let-down, Greenday still managed to make a
fairly solid album that is indeed a bit more mature, but still has
its head in teenage suburban politics.

If you really want a rock opera, check out “Deloused in the
Comatorium” by the Mars Volta; but if you want the best album
Greenday has ever produced, then check out “American Idiot.” If
you’re a Greenday fan, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.