Review:

Ever hear a song being played over and over and over again, to the point where you want to shoot the people who wrote it? I'm sure fans in America, at least, can agree that Green Day's American Idiot CD is one of those such CDs. The anti-stupid anthems and pop-punk music is enough to drive you over the edge - especially if you hear it every single day. No lie, either - "American Idiot" was played at least once daily, with "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and then "Wake Me Up When September Ends" quickly following suit. It was enough to drive every rocker insane - and many over the edge.

Green Day has always been reputed for it's "F*ck the Establishment" attitude. Such songs as "Long View" (about masturbation), "Brain Stew" (about insomnia, generally thought to be caused by overusing drugs) and "Basket Case" (again, presumably about drugs) have told you to be who you need to be, establishment or not. Anarchy, drugs, profanity - none of it's too serious to be coated in catchy lyrics and wrapped in pop-punk music. It's catchy, it's fun - why wouldn't you love it?

True Green Day fans, I am sure, awaited American Idiot holding their breaths. What little was played on the radio was amazingly good, not too over-played, and stayed true to the Green Day roots. However, as soon as the CD was released, in came the flood of those chipper little fangirls, who proclaim themselves so "gothic" or "Punk" but are really trying to fit in at the moment with the rest of the fangirls flooding in. Suddenly, American Idiot was playing all over - all of the time. True rockers got sick of it, and eventually, six months to a year later, the fad is done.

As one of those true rockers, I myself was turned off to Green Day's new attempt. It became too much, too soon, with too many fangirls, and too many followers - it was too too. As someone who fell in love with their CD Dookie before they found American Idiot, I found A.I. to be a shocking step backwards. Was this just Green Day selling out for stardom? I felt so, and all faith was lost.

Fret not, dear readers, for I found a friend in the biggest Green Day fan in the world. No lie. She doesn't claim to be - she is. She knows everything about them - especially Tre Cool and Mike Dirnt. She knows who've they've dated, who've they married, who've they divorced. She attempts to pass this wisdom on, but Green Day stopped being my forte a while ago. I renounced even Dookie in search for higher ground.

"Liz," she told me, "It's only slightly annoying when it's the songs by themselves. Listen to the whole CD, and you'll get the story."

Fine, I replied. This girl's advice is generally good, and what could I lose by listening to a CD my mom all ready owns? A little timidly, I popped the CD into the CD player, and pressed Play.

American Idiot is the story of three to four people (depending if you count the American Idiot as a person). In the first song that bears the title of the CD, America is in chaos. America's democracy is trying to be replaced by anarchy. The American Idiot character (or a whole group of people, depending on what you feel is correct) is starting to plant the seeds of rebellion. In the second, we meet the Jesus of Suburbia. As Billie Joe tells the story of this young man's life, we find him to be very self-involved, imperfect, and yet the only hope America has if they want true anarchy. He's the personification of greed and pride, while also being compassion and neighborliness. JoS talks about how the rest of the world is so wrong, how no one else cares about each other, and sure, he's not perfect, but he's going to stand up for himself and do what's right.

"Holiday" - the third track - is the beginning of JoS's crusade. He's watching all of the war and decay around him, and saying, "This isn't right." During Track Four, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," JoS talks about how, although he's surrounded by people, he feels very alone. Presumably, in the story of A.I., he either is maimed, killed, or arrested by the American government, or he abandons his cause to look after himself. It's rather left up to your discretion. In "Are We the Waiting," people of the Rebellion are starting to question if they're really going to be able to pull off what JoS started - and abandoned.

Then, we meet our most dynamic character. "St Jimmy" introduces us to Jesus's alter ego. St Jimmy is "the patron saint of denial, with an angel face and a taste for suicidal." Violent and aggressive, St Jimmy is headstrong and can't be tamed. In the seventh track, he starts telling people to commit suicide - presumably for his "cause."

Still wild, he meets Whatsername in "She's a Rebel" - and falls in love. This song is told from his perspective, as he watches her totally dominate and detonate the scene - and the Rebellion. It's presumed they start a rather tumultous relationship, as stated in track nine, "Extraordinary Girl." Finally, they break up, and Whatsername tells St Jimmy that he has to keep fighting and rebelling in "Letter Bomb."

He breaks down, and stops doing what he does best, as shown in "Wake Me Up When September Ends." He reminisces about her, and is trying to remind himself that he has to continue on the Crusade. In track twelve, "Homecoming," we are reintroduced to the Jesus of Suburbia, and Jimmy, presumably tired of life or proving a point for the Crusade, shoots his brains out. In track thirteen, "Whatsername," perhaps the reincarnation or something of St Jimmy runs into Whatsername again.

The CD is also viewed as a split-ego sort of thing, with Jesus of Suburbia being the nice, rather quiet but imperfect half of someone, and St Jimmy being the rowdy, hardcore other half. St Jimmy and Jesus are presumed to combine themselves in track twelve, and the person who houses these two personifications bumps into Whatsername again.

However you view this CD, it tells an interesting story of love, betrayal, and rebellion. The tracks by themselves are rather overplayed and (rightfully) under-appreciated. However, you have to step back from each individual track and find the underlying meaning - and story. To all of those old Green Day fans who think Green Day have taken a backslide? No, they've just been inundated with fangirls - who only focus on the smaller picture.