Just when I thought this generation was a lost cause (long week at school), I stumbled on Green Day and American Idiot. After catching a couple of audio clips online, I took myself to the mall in town and had them find me a copy of this masterpiece. It was stashed behind the counter, so I suppose it’s another of those “too-nasty to put in the window selections” I’ve been buying lately. I’m redneck, but not “part of a redneck agenda.” That would be Toby Keith, I think. Anyway, when they burn me at the stake for visiting the “Jesus of Suburbia,” tell them I’ve always had green eyes.

If you’re not familiar with Green Day, then you’re probably over age 30. If you’re a little older, then I can tell you that these guys sound like Joan Jett’s younger brothers. At least, they sound like that at times. They kind of switch it up and go from head banging to standing on tiptoes to kind of swaying in the bleachers.

As I listen, I start to slip back in time to the days when albums were like books—telling important stories from start to finish. If you’ve ever listened to the Who with “Tommy (Pinball Wizard),” then that’s the kind of smooth narrating I’m talking about here. It’s been many years since I’ve heard anything other than little meaningless jingles when it comes to rock music. Sure. Some of the stuff is easy to listen to, easy to dance to, to whatever to, but that’s as far as it goes. It’s usually country where you get something resembling a good story with chapters covering more than the last five minutes. Of course, you have to wander off the pop country radio track to find such music, but it’s out there—Willie, Waylon, Emmylou, DA Coe.

They are billing this as a rock opera. OK. I guess that’s close. I’d call it a good book packaged in a jewel case and best read at a high volume.

“American Idiot” is an hour long reflection on our times—“one nation controlled by the media, information age of hysteria, calling out to an Idiot America.” If that makes you a little uncomfortable, then you probably are one. Just skip this album and enjoy your Sports Center, Sponge Bob, and Dr. Phil. You’ll be fine. We’ll wake you up when it’s all over.

This work is set up on a day planner from Sunday though the next “We’re Coming Home Again.” I guess every kid in America has a day planner. Not that they get much done. But, they know what they’re not doing. Our schools rank at the bottom of the lists. Shame on us. And, write that down in your day planner.

There are 13 songs on here, but two of those are chapter/verse selections with I-V sections each. These 9 plus minute tunes won’t be getting that air time, but the best stuff never does. Just ask MeatLoaf. And mash my potatoes up good and stiff.

If you’re tempted to burn your own copy, then you missed the point but also a big part of the experience. The linear notes are notebook scribblings. Perhaps your school notebook didn’t include all the thoughts churning in your head while the rest of the class tried to figure out how to diagram a sentence. But, this is my high school spiral book. Long gone. A different era. But, this is my world. Schooling is what you write on the lines. Education is what you learn and scribble in the margins. That includes all those old lyrics to Pink Floyd.

From the opening . . . “Don’t want to be an American Idiot . . .” to “If my memory serves me right, I’ll never turn back time” this is an outstanding work both in terms of the music and also messages. These guys have come a long ways since “Dookie.”

Green Day rocks hard with jamming guitar chords and thumping drums and cymbal crashes. They have that bad-boy guy rock sound. I just keep expecting them to have big band hair. Nope. They have gelled that hair up like most of this generation. Long live hair goop. And, thank goodness that thinking never goes out of style.

Don’t think this is one long testosterone dream like the Alman Borthers. Did my guy buddies really haul me off to that concert? And, did I really fall asleep during that long guitar solo? Uh huh. I think so. That’s not the kind of guy stuff here. It rocks hard, but they take a breath long enough to squeeze in the words. And, the words are powerful.

If you haven’t heard anything from this CD, then go to CDUniverse or Amazon and hit some of the clips. You’ll get enough to know if this is your kind of music.

I was assuming that this was some little niche project. That’s what I usually run across and end up buying. My first clue was that the girl at the CD door actually knew what I was wandering around trying to find. “Oh yeah, I got one of them back here,” she told me. Such eloquence. I’m am truly inspired for my visit to the friendly neighborhood mall.

Sometimes I think:

“I walk a lonely road
The only one I that have ever known
Don't know were it goes
But its home and I walk alone”

(Boulevard of Broken Dreams—Green Day)

In any case, it appears that this CD is, in fact, quite the talk. And, that’s a good thing in my book.

If you want to find out more about Green Day, then they do have an official web site at www.greenday.net I checked to see if they were coming here in concert. No such luck. I’ll bet this would be one great group in the coliseum.

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If you like this CD, then you may enjoy the new Steve Earle. The sound is more "folk."

Here's my review on "Revolution."

http://www.epinions.com/content_155709378180



Recommended: Yes