![]() ![]() ![]() They cut their teeth in the DIY punk scene in Oakland, California. They also changed their name to Green Day around this time as Sweet Children was too similar to Sweet Baby, another local band. It was here that they were noticed by independent record label Lookout! Records who produced their first album 39/Smooth. Along with drummer John Kiffmeyer, the band began writing music and playing live shows. Playing in the Bandįormed in 1986 by Armstrong and Dirnt, 14 at the time, Green Day began life as “Sweet Children”. Most critics and fans would agree that Dookie (1994) was a better album in its musicality and craft but there is something enigmatic about American Idiot that makes it incredibly listenable and easy to return to. While few would argue that American Idiot doesn’t have some of Green Day’s biggest hits, it is often not regarded as their best work. A concept album following the central character of St Jimmy, the album charts the rise and fall of the Jesus of Suburbia. Other straight-up pop winners include "One of My Lies" and "Who Wrote Holden Caulfield?." Elsewhere, Green Day slow down tempos, try acoustic numbers, and in one hilarious moment, pull off a ridiculous yet worthy country pisstake with the Cool-written "Dominated Love Slave.Unarguably one of the most successful bands of the past 30 years, Green Day’s 2004 album is one of the most essential listens of the 21st century. Rob Cavallo punched up the radio-friendly sound on the latter take, but even here it's a treat and a half - quick, rampaging, and once again with a great stop-start chorus to spare. It got buried in the wave of Dookie's success a bit, but one other number didn't - "Welcome to Paradise," also a standout on that album, appears here in its original form. The metal-strength chug that always informed the band's best work isn't absent either - check out Armstrong's opening riffing on "Christie Road." The whole thing starts with a note-perfect bang - "2000 Light Years Away" is the absolute highlight of the group's premajor-label days, with a great chorus and classic yearning lyrics. As for Billie Joe Armstrong, his puppy-dog delivery and eternal switching between snotty humor and sudden sorrrow was better than ever, as were his instantly memorable riffs. Together the two throw in a variety of guitarless breaks that would later help to define the band's sound for many - warm and never letting the beat go. With Tre Cool now firmly in place as the drummer, the lineup was at last settled, and it turned out Cool and Mike Dirnt were a perfect rhythm section, with the former showing a bit more flash and ability than John Kiftmeyer did. Green Day's second full album was the perfect dry run for the band's later assault on the mainstream, containing both more variety and more flat-out smashes than previous releases had shown. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |