Legendary wrestling announcer Gorilla Monsoon was known for his Yogi Berra-like sayings. When a wrestler would miss a high-risk move after landing it successfully the first time, he would say, “He went to the well once too many times.” That’s the feeling you get after listening to 21st Century Breakdown. Green Day nailed the slippery slope of the rock opera with American Idiot, but with 21st Century Breakdown, the results are a bit shaky.
21st Century Breakdown is even more ambitious than its predecessor. The album’s 19 songs are divided into four acts, which document Christian and Gloria’s love affair in a post-apocalyptic America. If that summary seems vague, it’s because the storyline is impossible to understand. Christian and Gloria’s names come up, but it’s not exactly clear what’s going on. American Idiot had a convoluted storyline too, but you could pick up on it after a few listens. No such luck this time around.
The best thing about 21st Century Breakdown is the sound. Producer Butch Vig really brings out the muscle in Green Day’s core sound, and the result is unbelievable. The sound is so huge that it makes American Idiot sound like Kerplunk. There are layers upon layers of guitars and actual solos. The punk influence is still there, but the Ramones riffs are now awash in Queen-like pomposity. The sound is propelled by Tré Cool’s drumming, which is unbelievable. He bashes those drums into oblivion, and there are a few moments where your heart skips a beat because of the unbelievable power. “Before the Lobotomy” begins as a nice acoustic ballad, but once Cool kicks in, it’s full on rawk mode. “Before the Lobotomy” is also one of the most puzzling tracks on the record, because the band rips off an old Firehouse song. Apparently Billie Joe enjoys “Love of a Lifetime.” Who knew?
21st Century Breakdown has many admirable qualities, but the idea overtakes the music. The key to making a decent concept album has always been the songs. The defining trait of a great concept album is the ability of the songs to stand up on their own. They work best as a whole, but you can listen to them separately without the storyline. This is not the case with 21st Century Breakdown. The songs all kind of run together, mostly due to length. After a while, it just gets exhausting. There are some standout moments though. “21 Guns” is a grand ballad with a huge chorus. “Viva la Gloria” begins as a piano ballad before becoming a punk-raver, similar to “St. Jimmy” from American Idiot. The title track is fine, but the mid-tempo pace doesn’t work as an album opener, even though it quickens towards the middle.
Green Day has been making records since 1990, and have gone from snot-nosed punks to middle aged arena rockers. Billie Joe Armstrong is not 19 anymore, so songs about masturbation have obviously lost their fun. That’s understandable, but not every record needs to be a Big Artistic Statement. The band’s ambition was admirable, but the concept swallows up everything that is great about Green Day. The humor and the heart that is so evident on their other records is in short supply on 21st Century Breakdown. If the album had been trimmed a bit or if the concept was reigned in, they might have had another classic. Unfortunately the concept got bigger than the album. If American Idiot was Green Day’s London Calling, then 21st Century Breakdown is their Sandinista.
so this is basically what i can pick up on after 20 or so listens. Fisrt of i think christian is at war in Iraq. The story doesnt really start till Viva la Gloria! and this is sort of a love letter from christian to of corse gloria. Before the Lobotomy is about i think a statement of life before he was brianwased and turned into a killer. Christian’s Inferno is just him pissed off and on a killind spree. Last Night on Earth is him looking death in the eyes kinda thinking any day could be his last. East Jesus Nowhere is just more comments on the war. Peacemaker is one of the major reason i think christian is at war, peacemaker being what our soldiers were supposed to be in iraq the think that confuses me is the line “the ones at the end of the somba are dead” or somthing like that. Last of the American girls is him telling his war buddies about gloria. Murder city is him doubting his purpose in iraq “i feel so helpless in themurder city.” ¿Viva la Gloria? (Little Girl) is i think gloria cheatin on christian and him finding out about it. the rest is him home and telling about his expriences at war
I think the whole story is told through 2 criminally insane youths after what I can imagine is a turbulent love affair.
Since it’s a rock opera i think the acts and the songs don’t necessarily follow a chronological order which I think is the problem people have with it.
Song of the Century is the requiem. The Overture. It sets you up. For what’s coming.
21st Century Breakdown serves as a bit of a chorus, introduces the characters and of course Billy Joe as the narrator.
Know Your Enemy asks the question not of the government or authority but of yourself. know Your enemy is echoed in Restless Heart Syndrome.
!Viva La Gloria! is the introduction of Gloria and her problems at home, a girl so distraught and infatuated with one Christian, that she is alienated from her family and her home. Her parents overly religious right wing nuts.
Life Before the Lobotomy is, as far as I can tell, Christian telling their story, in detail, as he and Gloria are locked away in an institution for some terrible crime.
Christians Inferno and Last Night on Earth are the prelude to it all, with Christian shipped away to a war he doesn’t want to be in, and facing certain doom. Later on coming home to find that everything he knew and fought for, willingly or otherwise had changed.
East Jesus Nowhere is Christian coming home and finding his entire town enraptured in zealotry and fanaticism.
Last of the American Girls is Gloria’s song all about everything that she used to be and what she has become. Leading to—
Murder City, where if you follow the themes of fire and gasoline, Christian and Gloria try to run away together and set her house and probably the church on fire.
This leads to Restless Heart Syndrome where the drugging and incarceration or institutionalizing of Gloria and Christian is dealt with. Their heart break and inability to cope, and of course “know your enemy” and “fire” are a theme once again.
Horseshoes and Handgrenades is the revolt. The fight, the escape.
Static Age is them finding each other and of course losing the fight leading to
21 guns which is devastating and sad and finally
American Eulogy and Mass Hysteria letting you know that their love story did not end well. My guess, is Gloria dies and Christian is sent for a lobotomy, and all of this is told by Christian, fading away in a padded cell.
Its Romeo and Juliet for the post modern drug addled world. Consider this and give it a listen.
The songs would of course make more sense if they were in a different order.
i like you version, i could very well be out of order bu i really think hes at war