| 21st Century Breakdown | 
| Artist: Green Day
Label: Warner Bros
Category: Music
List Price: £15.99
Buy New: £4.51
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New (64) Used (12) Collectible (1) from £1.94
Seller: tunes4you
Rating:  96 reviews
Format: Explicit Lyrics
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.5 x 4.9 x 0.4
MPN: 5171532
UPC: 093624980216
EAN: 0093624980216
ASIN: B001SAQVDQ
Release Date: May 15, 2009
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Song Of The Century | | • | 21st Century Breakdown | | • | Know Your Enemy | | • | Viva La Gloria | | • | Before The Lobotomy | | • | Christian's Inferno | | • | Last Night On Earth | | • | East Jesus Nowhere | | • | Peacemaker | | • | Last Of The American Girls | | • | Murder City | | • | Viva La Gloria (Little Girl) | | • | Restless Heart Syndrome | | • | Horseshoes And Handgrenades | | • | Static Age, The | | • | 21 Guns | | • | American Eulogy | | • | See The Light |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
Over three years in the making, 21st Century Breakdown is the answer to the question Green Day are stuck with--exactly how do you follow up a twelve million selling rock opera? With more of the same, of course, just like the Who used to do. To be honest, the narrative line is largely incoherent, following the story of starstruck young lovers Christian and Gloria (as in G-L-O-R-I-A) as they confront The Man in a predictably dystopian world. But though plenty of bands have recently resuscitated this long discredited form--The Mars Volta and the excellent, not dissimilar Thermals, to name but two--none can pack in so many decent tunes as Billie Jo Armstrong, Tre Cool and Mike Dirnt. Even as they approach middle age, they still sound trapped by their youth, whether it’s Armsrong describing himself (or maybe his character) as a child of the Nixon era or simply reviving the power-pop sound of Cheap Trick. Yet if the plot is murky, songs like single "Know Your Enemy", as reductive as AC/DC and as gleefully catchy as the latest Disney teen rock sensation, the shameless and resigned power ballad "21 Guns", "Before the Lobotomy", one part punk rock, one part melodramatic ballad, and the classic rock of the title track sound like radio staples on the very first hearing. Older listeners may be reminded of Husker Du’s equally impenetrable and ambitious song cycle Warehouse. But that was the work of a band actively seeking fans. 21st Century Breakdown is a wildly unfocussed collection seemingly set on confusing them. But it certainly features some great tunes.--Steve Jelbert
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| Customer Reviews:
 Worth the wait May 14, 2009
LAWRAH SMITH (NOTTINGHAM)
33 out of 35 found this review helpful
Was really worried about this album...
Green Day took a big risk with American Idiot and ended up pulling off something brilliant. My concern with 21st Century Breakdown was that it would just be trying to repeat the same thing, and not live up to that standard. But although it definately follows in the same vein it stands up on it's own, and if anything is one step better than it's predecessor.
The songs range from melodic epics (Last Night On Eath) to 2 minute rage filled snarls (Christian's Inferno). There's even a bit of gypsy punk (Peacmaker) thrown in for good measure. But whats great is that all the songs are strong. This is not an album written around 3 singles...in fact, apart from "21 Guns" (which is so radio friendly they'd be mad not to release it) I would struggle to pick out the singles. And despite the difference in styles, somehow it all fits together as a piece of music.
The concept this time round is a little looser, with less of a narrative story than American Idiot. It's more a collection of songs about different emotions the two characters, Christian and Gloria feel over the course of the century so far. Whilst the two are ever present in the 3 acts, they don't feature so heavily that they start to get on your nerves (something else I was worried might happen).
As a last note I'd just like to say that "East Jesus Nowhere" is bloody brilliant.
And to those people saying they've sold out...if they were still releasing Dookie/Insomniac clones 13 years after making them you'd be moaning about that instead so just shut up.
Long time coming, but worth the wait May 17, 2009
Mr. D. Hayes (West Yorkshire, United Kingdom)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
4 and a half years after American Idiot first came out, Green Day have finally released a new album. Having been a big fan since American Idiot introduced me to the band, and having subsequently gone on to purchase all their past albums I was not knowing what to really expect from this latest album. American Idiot was a hard act to follow, but I can say, at least in my opinion that the band have produced a more than worthy follow up to that amazing album.
This is another rock opera, split into 3 parts and follows the story of a young couple trying to make sense of the century so far, hence the title. The political and social commentary present on American Idiot is still here, with focus on post-Bush America, modern America and the world as a whole today. The 2 lovers represent different, personalities, ideals and viewpoints, and this comes across quite well after a few listens to the songs and a look at the lyrics.
The songs on this album are quite varied and on first listen through you're not quite sure what to expect next. I would say that it may take a few listen throughs to fully appreciate it, but it's certainly a great album that I would recommend to any Green Day fan and anyone who fancies something a bit different. Have a listen to a few of the album's songs and I'm sure you'll want to give it a chance. Green Day have gradually matured throughout their careers and they have again taken a chance and done something different, and I think it's paid off.
Overall this album was worth the wait for me. There has clearly been a lot of effort put into the production of it and it shows. 21st Century Breakdown is a fantastic album and more than a worthy follow up to American Idiot.
No Label Needed Here! May 17, 2009
Mr. R. Quartermain
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Why do people need to tag music, is either brilliant, rubbish or indifferent depending on your musical tastes. Always liked Green Day, perhaps the only US band I have ever been into, and I remember punk/new wave in 77!
another superb album, even my kids of 9 and 6 love it!
All the anticipation was worth it! June 21, 2009
Nik Jack (Lincolnshire, England)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Having gone out on a limb by writing a punk concept album with American Idiot, following its success there is little wonder Billie Joe Armstrong would do it again one day. I have waited a very long time for this! American Idiot caught me at just the right time in my life - unsurprising when I realise that we are all the same age. So what would the writing, the concept and the story be now that the band are in their 30's? The anticipation was huge, but so is 21st Century Breakdown.
Green Day are obviously still evolving as a band, and why not? For those who wanted them to stay the same all this time - go listen to their early stuff again. They are getting older & growing up same as the rest of us!!
Although the narrative of the story is not so complete as American Idiot,(I don't think you could make a stage musical out of this album), it still flows through the emotions of the two main characters. I also think it is less angry. It starts with a typical two-style song in 21st Century Breakdown - beginning slow and then bursting out - and fires on from there. There are the recurring themes of enemies (in all their forms), the age of static and of course, comment on the war and the government (although maybe a little less direct than in American Idiot).
I know lot of people have said that releasing Know Your Enemy as the single was possibly a bad move as it is one of the weaker songs on the album. I know what they mean, as Static Age is more catchy, and 21 Guns works brilliantly at the end of Transformers 2 and will already have had a wider audience. However, I don't think these guys need to think in terms of commercial success any more! I think this was an artistic choice. Why release a possibly better single, but from the 3rd act of the story? Know Your Enemy is one of the pivotal scene setting songs of this opus. Be sure of yourself, know what you are doing and why you are doing it. Make certain that your heroes are not taking you for a ride. This sets you in the mood of the rest of the album as we move on with Christian & Gloria as their lives take twists & turns. Viewed in that light, I think it was the perfect choice for the first single.
I think that Peacemaker and Horseshoes & Hand Grenades are my favourites, but 21 Guns sends a chill down my spine every time. Say what you want about them calming down over the last few years, Billie Joe can write a ballad with an edge like no-one else.
All in all I think this is a triumph. No it isn't American Idiot, but I don't want it to be. 21st Century Breakdown is in turn fiery, direct, challenging and in places, beautiful. This became a firm favourite in a matter of days, and I don't think that is likely to change.
 Stagnant growth...does that make sense?! June 5, 2009
Mr. B. L. Jones (UK)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
It amazes me when people bash bands like Green Day. Any rock band that attempts to do something a bit different, to grow, to embrace new ideas, seems to end up crucified (an apt metaphore) by their long term fans and beloved by new ones. Is it REALLY so bad that a band like GD want to step out of the slacker pop-punk mold they've peddled (superbly) throughout the 90's and early noughties to become something a little more? These people are in their late 30's, for god's sake!
Anyway, they tried to do this with the rather good 'American Idiot' and were lambasted/applauded for it. The album was a great mix of the insanely catchy pop-punk songs that we've come to love with an often unintelligable rock-opera about Jesus of Suburbia/St. Jimmy. If you pushed the story to one side (only slightly) and focused on the music, you were left with an often thrilling album that seemed a logical step forward for the group. Good times. It would seem silly to follow this grand-ideas album with something closer to pre-'...Idiot' GD (which is kind of what they did with the shallow but loveable Foxboro Hot Tubs), so '21st Century Breakdown' is definitely the natural follow up. Still growth, but continuing with the theme set previously. See! Stagnant growth. I knew it would make sense.
Anyway, the album is broken into 3 acts. Ignoring the pointless 'Song of the Century', 'Heroes and Cons' kicks off the album with the well named '21st Century Breakdown', a song bristling with Springsteen-lite stadium fodder. Great start. 'Know Your Enemy', I'll admit, I don't like, but it is catchy as hell and I can see why they've released it. 'Viva la Gloria' starts as a nice piano-led ballad before bursting into the kind of GD tune that they used to write in the Nimrod days...full of energy, great hooks, all you want in a Green Day song really. 'Before the Lobotomy' is kind of the same, starting slow and dreamily before getting heavy. In my opinion, it's the best song on the album. 'Christian's Inferno' is great; bouncy, with a killer chorus. The act closes with the forgettable 'Last Night on Earth', a little slow and dull.
'Charlatans and Saints' is the weakest act here, opening with the scathing, anti-fundamentalist 'East Jesus Nowhere' before heading into 'Misery' (off 'Warning') territory with 'Peacemaker'. 'Last of the American Girls' is fun, but unsubstantial, before things get slightly back on track with the over-too-quickly thrill of 'Murder City'. The second 'Viva la Gloria' and 'Restless Heart Syndrome' are mostly lacklustre, ending the second act on a slight downer.
But don't be disheartened. 'Horseshoes and Handgrenades' kicks up a fuss as soon as it arrives. The song of the same name (bearing an uncanny resemblance to the Hives) announces itself with a punchy riff and shouting from the soap box singing from Billie Joe. 'The Static Age' sounds like something Blink-182 might have written if they were stadium rockers, before '21 Guns' brings a 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' calm to the proceedings. Bringing the album to a close is the brilliant 'American Euology', split into two parts but coming together at the close to make a glorious whole, which sounds manic, focused, tender, aggressive all at the same time, and also showcases some solo singing from Mike Dirnt. All that's left is 'See the Light' which brings things to a fantastic, gloriously feel-good ending. Job done.
So apart from the mid-album slump, Green Day have crafted an album which, on the whole, builds on the high standards that were set by 'American Idiot'. Ignore the crucifix shapes thrown by Billie Joe and the self-important lyrics and you're left with a record which, at times, contains some of the best music of the bands career. It'll be very interesting to see what they do next.
As an afterthought, whoever wrote that pianos don't belong in punk music needs beating around the head. It's ridiculous to suggest that only 3 kinds of instruments (guitars, vocals and drums) should make ANY kind of music, let alone simply punk. Without a rich variety of instruments we'd have no 'Shape of Punk to Come', no 'Full Circle', no '...thanks for all the Shoes'. Music is a canvas onto which musicians create art with whatever tools they choose...GOD, is that last sentence pretencious, but I stand by the sentiment. Apparently this mans definition of 'hardcore' exists entirely so he can say how good New Found Glory are. Yeah, dude, you're TOTALLY hardcore. A 13 year old, brand new to the world of rock, trying to decide between the new Green Day CD and a lifetime of funky house should TOTALLY LISTEN TO YOU because you're, like, RAD and stuff.
Sorry, rant over. Buy this CD if you like Green Day, think twice if you don't.
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