Random Green Day Thoughts

[Mayonaise]

I found 21CB to be very... Okay. Not particularly bad or anything, but not amazing either. The lyrics were fine. As a matter of fact, the songwriting here is great. They aren't shit like on Dos or Uno, but they're not like on Insomniac or Nimrod.

"Know Your Enemy" is just extremely bland. Once you've the first 30 seconds, you've heard the whole song.

"Viva La Gloria" is actually a pretty good song, but here's where the problem is. Direction of energy. The transition between some of these songs are just not very good. Especially here. Not necessarily having to do with instrumentation or anything, but just the overall tone of the song. But I don't think this is UNBEARABLE or anything. If anything, this is just nitpicking.

For me to like a song, I at least have to like the chorus. In songs like "Know Your Enemy", "Christian's Inferno", "Last of the American Girls", and I'll even throw in "See the Light". I am not a fan of these songs or their choruses. "Christian's Inferno"'s chorus is honestly just annoying as hell for me. It starts off as this song that's just super bad-ass, the verses were just great. With the verses it's sort of a darker song, but the chorus just shits on all of that. It's like some guy is saying his honest thoughts about his life or something to a crowd of people, but some douchebag comes and pushes him out of the way and talks about window shopping or something. If there's something I'm missing, I'd like to know here. Oh, does anyone else feel like this song sounds like it came straight from Money Money 2020?

"Last of the American Girls" has a huge problem with it. It has this huge build-up into the chorus only to lead to this boring as hell "OOOOHHHHHHHH" and "Ah yeah! Alright!" (Even if the latter was near the end of the song I believe) "See the Light"'s chorus doesn't really have anything wrong with it, this was just a personal taste thing. Just didn't like it that much. But I will say this, I did not like the pauses this song had in the verses.

Enough with the criticism. How is this album GREAT in a sense? East Jesus fucking Nowhere, that's how. Like most of the album, the lyrics are great. The instrumentation is near perfect, there is absolutely nothing to dislike here unless you're both extremely religious and butthurt as fuck.

Overall, this album gets a 3/5 from me personally. That's not a bad rating at all, ESPECIALLY compared to the trilogy albums. As a matter of fact, typing this up has made me like this album even more.

But seriously, this is way better than that green emerald dropped in 2012. *Shivers*

Edited January 5, 2015 by Soviet Idiot

[mrduckygoosy]

I wonder why Billie Joe's personnality changed so much between Warning and American Idiot, he went from a bad-tempered guy to a quite nice person. I mean before AI in almost every interviews he seems bored, sarcastic and pissed off like he wants to kill everybody in the room but then he is way more compliant and actually looks like enjoying being there

[Chin for a Day]

I wonder why Billie Joe's personnality changed so much between Warning and American Idiot, he went from a bad-tempered guy to a quite nice person. I mean before AI in almost every interviews he seems bored, sarcastic and pissed off like he wants to kill everybody in the room but then he is way more compliant and actually looks like enjoying being there

I don't think his personality change, he grew up. Plus, the sound of the band was changing and his interests were changing. A politically themed concept album would not have the same impact coming from an angry, young, brat. Plus, I'm sure he had some talks about how to behave in public.

[Hermione]

I wonder why Billie Joe's personnality changed so much between Warning and American Idiot, he went from a bad-tempered guy to a quite nice person. I mean before AI in almost every interviews he seems bored, sarcastic and pissed off like he wants to kill everybody in the room but then he is way more compliant and actually looks like enjoying being there

I think he's always had it in him to be quite grumpy and sullen or friendly and sweet depending on his mood and still does, throughout his career you can find examples of moodier interviews and more fun interviews. I guess it's natural to show more of your cheerful side and less of your moody side as you get older and more grown up, a bit less self centred and a bit more grounded and content in your life.

[mrduckygoosy]

I think he's always had it in him to be quite grumpy and sullen or friendly and sweet depending on his mood and still does, throughout his career you can find examples of moodier interviews and more fun interviews. I guess it's natural to show more of your cheerful side and less of your moody side as you get older and more grown up, a bit less self centred and a bit more grounded and content in your life.

True ^^ I was just surprised how fast the change was

I don't think his personality change, he grew up. Plus, the sound of the band was changing and his interests were changing. A politically themed concept album would not have the same impact coming from an angry, young, brat. Plus, I'm sure he had some talks about how to behave in public.

Yes that's what I thought, so I can't help but think his actual behavior is kind of insincere sometimes haha

[Chin for a Day]

Yes that's what I thought, so I can't help but think his actual behavior is kind of insincere sometimes haha

I wouldn't call it insincere. I think he does act the way he really is. He is just such a neurotic mess he needed training on making that come through in interviews without looking like a total ass.

[Guest]

A politically themed concept album would not have the same impact coming from an angry, young, brat.

But that describes almost 90% of punk bands, and punk is one of the most influential genres of music?

[colour_me_stupid_]

It actually blows my mind a wee bit to see people shitting on 21CB, considering what came after it, it's a feckin' masterpiece.

And actually, I think maybe that's why I hate the majority of the trilogy so much. I adore 21CB and the trilogy is so different. Hmmm. This explains a lot I'll likely become obsessed again if they put out something more along the lines of what got me into them in the first place.

[Haushinka!]

I wonder why Billie Joe's personnality changed so much between Warning and American Idiot, he went from a bad-tempered guy to a quite nice person. I mean before AI in almost every interviews he seems bored, sarcastic and pissed off like he wants to kill everybody in the room but then he is way more compliant and actually looks like enjoying being there

Excellent point! I sometimes think about this too. While it's obvious he did a lot of growing up within the time span between the two albums, it's interesting not only how he changed after Warning, but also how quickly they created something so...advanced(?) compared to the rest of their albums. The writing, the story itself, the song structures with Jesus of Suburbia and Homecoming, etc., were a huge progression from their typical simple-structured tracks before American Idiot.

[mrduckygoosy]

Excellent point! I sometimes think about this too. While it's obvious he did a lot of growing up within the time span between the two albums, it's interesting not only how he changed after Warning, but also how quickly they created something so...advanced(?) compared to the rest of their albums. The writing, the story itself, the song structures with Jesus of Suburbia and Homecoming, etc., were a huge progression from their typical simple-structured tracks before American Idiot.

I heard the band went to therapy during the Warning era because BJ was an asshole towards the other members and considered himself as a supreme leader in short, I guess maybe it helped

[Haushinka!]

I heard the band went to therapy during the Warning era because BJ was an asshole towards the other members and considered himself as a supreme leader in short, I guess maybe it helped

I doubt that is true. I liked his snotty, sarcastic attitude anyway. ?

[Guest]

BJ was an asshole towards the other members and considered himself as a supreme leader

Judging by the Trilogy not much has changed in a decade

[Chin for a Day]

Excellent point! I sometimes think about this too. While it's obvious he did a lot of growing up within the time span between the two albums, it's interesting not only how he changed after Warning, but also how quickly they created something so...advanced(?) compared to the rest of their albums. The writing, the story itself, the song structures with Jesus of Suburbia and Homecoming, etc., were a huge progression from their typical simple-structured tracks before American Idiot.

That's because AI was actually written by a grocery store clerk in Oregon in 1992.

[Mayonaise]

It actually blows my mind a wee bit to see people shitting on 21CB, considering what came after it, it's a feckin' masterpiece.

It's almost like they their own taste in music or something.

[Maid Meringue]

I love the vocals on American Idiot, almost as if it's a separate entity from Green Day entirely.
His voice stands out on whole other levels and unfortunately I think that's due to studio/mixing magic. No doubt his live performances were on point around that time (minus BOBD in many non-BIAB shows) but the vocals on that recorded album are unattainable naturally even for him. 21stCB basically has less vocal effects which make it superior, and at the same time less superior to AI. Also the breakdown tour will always be my favorite and no live show will ever be as good from now (2012) on, IMO

[Ian1234]

Insomniac and American Idiot are really the only Green Day albums that I listen to all the way through today. I love the anger.

[Iva]

Wait, Dookie is its own universe?

Yes, it's three corners away from HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

We should send DookieLukie there.

See above. I don't think you would want that.

[Chin for a Day]

I love the vocals on American Idiot, almost as if it's a separate entity from Green Day entirely.

His voice stands out on whole other levels and unfortunately I think that's due to studio/mixing magic. No doubt his live performances were on point around that time (minus BOBD in many non-BIAB shows) but the vocals on that recorded album are unattainable naturally even for him. 21stCB basically has less vocal effects which make it superior, and at the same time less superior to AI. Also the breakdown tour will always be my favorite and no live show will ever be as good from now (2012) on, IMO

Why would you think his vocals are good on AI simply because of the mixing? Any studio album is going to be mixed. If anything, they used more effects on 21 SB. I think he sounds better because he simply received vocal training and started to give a shit about the technical side of his vocals. He is not the best technical vocalist around, not be a long shot. But he is definitely much better than you give him credit for.

[The Platypus!]

Android is a great songs, makes you reflect on life.

[UNICORN VOMIT]

I heard the band went to therapy during the Warning era because BJ was an asshole towards the other members and considered himself as a supreme leader in short, I guess maybe it helped [/quotprobaby depends on what you consider therapy

[songsforthedeaf]

I completely forgot how much I enjoy Green Day's cover of Husker Dü's "Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely" (found as a b-side to the Warning single). It sounds like a live take (and considering there is a video of them performing it, it could be one), and yet the instruments and vocals are perfectly mixed. Green Day's next album, whenever it may be, should experiment with that lo-fi live sound and Nimrod/Warning songwriting. I'd be a very happy boy.

I completely forgot how much I enjoy Green Day's cover of Husker Dü's "Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely" (found as a b-side to the Warning single). It sounds like a live take (and considering there is a video of them performing it, it could be one), and yet the instruments and vocals are perfectly mixed. Green Day's next album, whenever it may be, should experiment with that lo-fi live sound and Nimrod/Warning songwriting. I'd be a very happy boy.

Sorry, wrong thread. Meant to put this in random Green Day thoughts. I don't know if there's a way I can remove the post, or if I'd have to get it moved or something.

Edited January 7, 2015 by songsforthedeaf

[Hermione]

Sorry, wrong thread. Meant to put this in random Green Day thoughts. I don't know if there's a way I can remove the post, or if I'd have to get it moved or something.

No worries, I moved it here. Another option if that happens would be to repost what you wanted to say in the correct thread and edit the post in the wrong thread to replace what you'd written with "never mind" or "wrong thread" or "." or whatever which a mod would then delete when they saw it, either way no problem though.

[Libertine Angel]

I've got all my music on shuffle and 16 just came on. I forgot how good this song is.

[Chin for a Day]

I've got all my music on shuffle and 16 just came on. I forgot how good this song is.

I love the lyrics on that song. I still can't believe he wrote that song at such a young age. What a preview of things to come.

[Libertine Angel]

And a live version of Homecoming just came on and I involuntarily started clapping after the intro. Seriously, I didn't even think about it, it just happened. That song is absolutely phenomenal.