We the Write stuff.

Ello All
Before I get into this I must confess I've never done a music album review before.
When I showed up at my Grandparents and discovered WiFi I couldn't resist the urge to download and review the two hottest albums of the year. First one being Eminem's Relapse (it's coming along...) and the second being Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown.
Now if you read and believe most of the reviews out there, you'd probably imagine this is the defining album of the decade.
Honestly, I don't know about that. Radiohead have had a couple of albums and so many other really awesome albums have popped up as well so it's very hard to say. What I will say though, is that this is definitely one of the best albums of the last FEW decades.
Now for those of you who are expecting a typically punk rock approach to the album you're going to be disappointed. Not only is this the highest production value of any Green Day work, it's also the furthest they've ever gone from their punk roots.
Now before we have a needless debate let me elucidate that when I say Punk I mean type of music, not type of attitude. The fact is, with the lyrics and melodies these three have busted out, the album is likely to have a greater impact politically than almost any other punk album.
The songs this time are anthemic. As in bust-a-gut-rock-the-shit-out-of-wembley, arena rock. It is hard, it is edgy, and in the case of 21 guns and Last night on Earth, very moving.
The title track is the closest the band'll get to a Bohemian Rhapsody in terms of form and while it is a bit too preachy for my taste there's no denying it's awesome. Along with it, Christian Inferno and Viva La Gloria are the kind of songs you'd kill to see live. But without any doubt, for me atleast, the intensity and energy of this album can be summed up in East Jesus Nowhere (Ironically, it's the first time I even noticed Dernt on the album...hint hint).
Lyrically, Billy Joe's at his 'fuck authority' best and despite slight hypocrisies the band have most certainly drawn a line in the sand in terms of where they stand on what.
The fun mockery of American Idiot is 5 years gone and with this album they've replaced it with a gritty, far more serious attitude not too different from U2. Let's just hope that like U2 this doesn't signal any decline.
It's preachy at times and that does grind a bit, but for the most part I have to admit this is easily one of the best albums I've ever heard. Not only does it have a purpose, some of the tracks are just fucking awesome.
Recommended:
East Jesus Nowhere
21 Guns
21st Century Breakdown
Overall: 9/10