21st Century Breakdown

With a radio-style first track, you know immediately that you're listening to Green Day, and with a parental advisory warning on the front of the album, this is confirmed. (Though, in fact, there are only four tracks with explicit lyrics.) The second track is the title track which is, again, distinctly Green Day. In fact, for me, this track is reminiscent of the feelings given by American Idiot.

The whole feel of the album is that Green Day have moved on, maybe even grown up, and grown in style. With some tracks featuring an orchestral section and the album itself split into three “Acts” there is a feeling of a play being played out throughout the album.

My favourite track is Last Night on Earth. With its haunting melody and beautiful lyrics, though, it sadly feels out of place. With a wide variety of genres the flow from track to track is disjointed. Even so, each track is, in its own right, a success.