"21st century breakdown" CD by Green Day

by Oliver Kube (16.04.2009) Alright, bad news first: "21st century breakdown" is generally not the gem its predecessor "American idiot" is – you won't find any brilliant single material such as the title track, the über-anthem "Boulevard of broken dreams", or the great tear jerker "Wake me up when september comes". Well, milestones like "American Idiot" are mostly a once in a (band) lifetime release... But – here's the good news: sound-wise, this is mighty impressive stuff – producer (and Garbage drummer) Butch Vig who has already honed releases by Nirvana, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Helmet, has provided the band with an incredible clout. Aaaand, in spite of the criticism, there are nevertheless some top-notch class A+ tracks on this one, too: "Horseshoes and handgrenades" (hefty and groovy), "Before the lobotomy" (an interesting potpourri of piano parts, pumping rhythm, and ska feel), "?Viva la gloria? (little girl)" (very catchy, yet pretty cool), plus the title song - which changes from a really fast track to a grand epic - on top.