Most likely, you have heard the single, promoted out the ass by MTV and hundreds of radio stations around the world. A song with a pretty stereotypical choris and the same pop punk "lets go against the establishment but look like glam punk rockers while doing so!" attitude. So normally, i would support the hateful feelings towards the band.

 But, after giving the entire album a listen, my views have changed from "kill all the rock stars" to "I haven't heard anything like this since the 70's". I almost hate to say it, but after listening to the entire album front to back, this might be the best album that has come out after 2000. Does this change my thoughts or views on the band? Not at all, but they are certainly on the right track. With punk riffs and Melodic yet meaningful 70's rock lyrics with a bit of pop beat, you have Green Day, now add an album that has an almost opera-like quality to it and you get 21st Century Breakdown.

 The album starts off with and almost ere static and then opens up to a soft voice singing a catchy tune that sounds like something you would hear being sung at a civil war camp. Then comes a song that un-knowingly sums up what the entire album is about, its almost like a documentation of our generation, only with a slight "what if" twist on it. each song would certainly not stand on their own, but as the album goes on, song after song, they begin to tell a story often giving you that "It all makes sense now" feeling while always leaning on each other. This is a quality that i haven't heard from an album in a long while, and certainly not from a band like Green Day. And while some of you are probably up and arms ready to flame me or try to tell me that X album has that same quality too, all im going to have to say is listen to it yourself, granted if you never really liked any of Green Days' material you most likely wont like this album. But for those of us who can appreciate all forms of music, sit back, close your eyes and enjoy.


Track List:

Act I: Heroes and Cons

1. Song of the Century
2. 21st Century Breakdown
3. Know Your Enemy
4. ¡Viva La Gloria!
5. Before The Lobotomy
6. Christians Inferno
7. Last Night On Earth

Act II: Charlatans and Saints

8. East Jesus Nowhere
9. Peacemaker
10. Last Of The American Girls
11. Murder City
12. ¿Viva La Gloria? (Little Girl)
13. Restless Heart Syndrome

Act III: Horseshoes and Handgrenades

14. Horseshoes And Handgrenades
15. The Static Age
16. 21 Guns
17. American Eulogy (Mass Hysteria/Modern World)
18. See The Light

Highlights:

1. 21st Century Breakdown

2. ¡Viva La Gloria!

3. Last Night on Earth

4. Peacemaker

5. Restless Heart Syndrome

6. Horseshoes and Handgrenades

7. 21 Guns

"Know Your Enemy."