This post originated from an RSS feed registered with .NET Buzz by Eric Gunnerson. Original Post: Review: American Idiot Feed Title: Eric Gunnerson's C# Compendium Feed URL: /msdnerror.htm?aspxerrorpath=/ericgu/Rss.aspx Feed Description: Eric comments on C#, programming and dotnet in general, and the aerodynamic characteristics of the red-nosed flying squirrel of the Lesser Antilles Latest .NET Buzz Posts Latest .NET Buzz Posts by Eric Gunnerson Latest Posts From Eric Gunnerson's C# Compendium

My CD of Green Day's new "American Idiot" showed up Monday, and after listening to it a few times, I think it's a pretty good effort.

But it may not be the Green Day that you're used to hearing, and, while I'm not really sure where the boundaries of "punk" are, I don't think I'd use that label. "American Idiot" is similar to "Minority" off of Warning, and "Letterbomb" sounds like many other Green day tunes. Don't get me wrong - I like "American Idiot" (though not as much as "Minority"), but they're not breaking any new ground with those songs.

The rest of the album, however, is an excursion into new areas, though there are some typical Green Day touches in many of the songs.

The first is two multi-part songs, which are in the "rock opera" genre. Some of the approach and pacing is reminiscent of Queensrÿche's excellent Operation Mindcrime, one of my favorite concept albums, coincidentally being performed live by the band tonight in Seattle at the Moore (if only I had known...) (this is the start of the tour, so you may have a chance in your city). The second two-part song ("Homecoming") pays a lot of homage to The Who's Tommy, and one segment is especially close (I'll let you figure it out). Overall, I think it works fairly well.

And finally, there are a several songs that are in the same vein as "Good Riddance" from Nimrod. "When September Comes" reminds me of "God of Wine" off of Third Eye Blind's debut album, which is a good thing.

I'll have to listen to it a few more times before I decide for sure, but so far it's wearing well.

Oh, and one more song comment. The start of "Are we the waiting?" reminds me very much of the start of "(She's So) Selfish" from "Get the Knack"