Green Day's '21st Century Breakdown' - Track By Track

 
8) Peacemaker
 
‘Peacemaker’ is a frantic, Latino flavoured number with strings thrown in. The lyrics cover everything from “Molotov Cocktails” to “Sweet Vendettas” and again we’re given the feeling that this album is a release of pent up aggression.
 
9) Last of the American Girls
 
This is a poppy guitar track focusing on a girl. It could very easily be a single but it won’t set the world on fire.
 
10) MurderCity
 
This is a quick paced track with power guitars that seems destined for the live arena. This is stadium rock at its punkiest – again very similar to ‘Letterbomb’ from ‘American Idiot’. Very much a stand out track.
 
11) ?Viva La Gloria?
 
Our second instalment of Gloria is a slow affair with jangly pianos making it sound like it was recorded in a bar in the Wild West. It’s simple after the opening with power guitars and an easy structure – another single contender.
 
12) Restless Heart Syndrome
 
This is a slow love song, laden with strings again that feels like its going nowhere until a bitter rage drags it into the depths – the big winding guitars and pummelling drums inject urgency into a track with drifts for too long.
 
13) Horseshoes and Handguns
 
Before you put this on take a listen to The Hives ‘Main Offender’. They sound almost uncanny at points but Green Day have an angrier way of going it. This is one of the songs of the album – with Billy Joe punctuating it with “I’m not fucking around!” It’s a BIG rock number and one which is truly Green Day at their very best.
 
14) The Static Age
 
This is pure-single fodder and nothing more. Riding on a tight bassline it can’t mask it’s frailties and ends up sounding very similar to both this and their last albums, just worse.
 
15) 21 Guns
 
Did someone say power ballad? This is the focal point and similar in style to Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Gigwise would bet an arm on it being a single at some stage. It has it all – epic guitar solos, acoustics, building verses and a giant chorus. Superb.
 
16) American Eulogy
 
Do you think Billy Joe is angry at the world yet? If you don’t then his repetition of “I don’t want to live in the modern world,” might just convince you. Truly an anthem and vintage Green Day in its style.
 
17) See the Light
 
The ending, just as the beginning was, is well marked. Acoustic strums and building drums make way for long and winding choruses and political symbolism. As the track itself fades away so do Green Day and after 5 years wait they’re back.
 
So what does all this mean? It means Green Day have made an album that is only brilliant in parts – generally when they break out of their comfort zone of 4 minute pop songs. It’s a bit too long also – but there’s plenty of stadium filling potential in there and when Green Day hit the heights they sound as fresh as they did on ‘American Idiot’.