Green Day – American Idiot (2004)

Twenty years too late to the party, that's me. After hearing about this uncompromising US "punk" band (sorry, kids, punk was a 1970s phenomenon and we've moved on now), and learning to play one of their songs at geriatric guitar classes, I thought it was worth 50p at the boot fair for this artifact.

It starts great. American idiot is a rousing anthem, well delivered and a fantastic start to the album, and we're quickly into the extended five-parter Jesus Of Suburbia, which is a decent listen, but nothing more. Similarly Holiday is a solid rocker, and the guitar class favourite Boulevard Of Broken Dreams, is a decent metal ballad.

But as we proceed, I'm reminded of little more than, from a similar era, Busted, who my daughter loved at the time. Green Day are louder, and swearier, but it's a similar pop sound. These aren't punks, they're a loud pop group, doing some very serviceable stuff, but it's not until Wake Me Up When September Ends that I sit up and take notice again. The second extended suite Homecoming drags on a bit, but there's a decent closing song in Whatsername.

So, I'm not surprised to find out these guys aren't the saviours of punk, or rock'n'roll, but they do make a decent enough crack at it, without particularly exciting me. A fine effort, but probably not aimed at me.

Link to full album

3* - a solid power pop album. No more, no less