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GREEN DAY - AMERICAN IDIOT
Foul-mouthed but fabulous. 'American Idiot' would not be such a brave album from a British band, but for an American band flying in the face of a redneck agenda it certainly is. 'American Idiot' - the blitzkrieg title track - sets the tone. It's really an album of blitzkrieg pop, and a concept album revolving around disillusionment with the modern American way. 'Jesus Of Suburbia' is a song in five parts, and sums up the hypocrisy of religion and a lot of modern 'values'. 'Holiday' is the third track which hits hard against the way America oppresses dissension. Then this song breaks into the gorgeous 'Boulevard Of Broken Dreams' rock ballad of isolation. The sledgehammer orchestral heavy metal melody ending is inspired. What follows is the 'Are We The Waiting', complete with rock choir, about waiting for something that's not gonna happen. 'St. Jimmy' is a high energy number, dedicated to an anti-saint. 'Give Me Novacaine' is a sweet song of two moods - gentle and aggressive. Billie Joe Armstrong's voice, here, sounds, in parts, like a '50s crooner. 'She's A Rebel' is like '80s New Wave, and Tré Cool's drumming cracks some heads. 'Extraordinary Girl' is a very catchy song with an Eastern feel. 'Letterbomb', with some very impressive Mike Dirnt basslines, is a rumbustious, if disillusioned, call to arms, followed by the antidote, and best song on the album, the brilliant 'Wake Me Up When September Ends'. Wonderful music, wonderful lyrics. 'Homecoming' is another five part song, a rock martial extravaganza on Jimmy's suicide. 'Whatsername' is a finish of joyous rock crescendo, and, as throughout, Billie Joe Armstrong proves himself to be a helluva guitarist. - Paul Rance/booksmusicfilmstv.com.
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booksmusicfilmstv.com Classic Albums - Reviews The Beatles - Abbey Road
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