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Review Summary: It isn’t just the story of Jimmy and his struggles; it’s a story of a generation and their struggles. After releasing punk classic “Dookie” in 1994, it seemed as if Green Day had reached the pinnacle of their career. With the danger of being labeled “has beens,” Green Day released a politically charged rock opera, in post 9/11 America. Then, the fear of terrorism was in full swing and political tensions were sky high, and “American Idiot” could not have come at a more perfect time on Sept. 20, 2004.The album takes the story of a suburban boy becoming a man and uses it as a plateau to speak out against the government. At its heart, the epic, ten minute song “Jesus Of Suburbia” tells the story of Jimmy (the Jesus of suburbia) becoming fed up and confused with his suburban life, which leads to Jimmy’s departure from home. Upon leaving, Jimmy finds this new excitement in his life told through the song “Holiday.”
But with every party comes the hangover. After his brief holiday, Jimmy finds himself depressed and wondering what’s next. As a result of being beaten down by the world, Jimmy creates an alter ego in the song “St. Jimmy,” a rougher, tougher version of Jimmy. Jimmy goes through a stunt of reckless behavior as part of his newfound self.
Dealing with poverty and depression, new anti-hero St. Jimmy falls victim to drug addiction. This addiction is told in what is possibly Green Day’s most beautiful song, “Give Me Novacaine.”
Despite heavy drug usage, Jimmy falls in love with a girl who is referred to as “Whatsername” throughout the album. The next two songs on the record “She’s a Rebel” and “Extraordinary Girl” are dedicated to Jimmy’s love for Whatsername. Jimmy’s luck runs dry quickly though, and in the next song “Letterbomb” Whatsername leaves him. Jimmy can’t seem to catch a break and falls deeper into depression than ever before in the song “Wake Me Up When September Ends.”
Green Day front man, Billie Joe Armstrong, initially wrote the song about his dad passing away, but the song ties into Jimmy’s story as well. Many also believe the song is in reference to the tragic events of 9/11.
In terms of Jimmy’s story, it’s a time of mourning and sadness. The next song “Homecoming” clocks in just over nine minutes tells the return of St. Jimmy back to his hometown where he feels as if his life is wasting away. As part of his new boring life, Jimmy kills his alter ego St. Jimmy when Armstrong sings, “Jimmy died today…He blew his brains out into the bay…In the state of mind it’s my own private suicide.”
Jimmy now has cut ties with his former self and is living a life he never wanted. It appears everyone has left him and is doing better without him, so Jimmy ultimately comes to the conclusion to come back home. The song “Homecoming” has a bittersweet feeling.
The album ends on the closer “Whatsername” as Jimmy is left recalling his memories and times with Whatsername as Armstrong sings, “I’ll never turn back time…Forgetting you, but now the time.” “American Idiot” isn’t only an album with a collection of good songs; it’s a story, told through a collection of great songs. It isn’t just the story of Jimmy and his struggles; it’s a story of a generation and their struggles.
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Album Rating: 5.0
One of my all time favorite albums! Here's the newspaper I write for's website http://schoolcraftconnection.com/2014/11/11/ten-years-later/
| | | Album Rating: 5.0
So you say this mirrors an entire generation's struggles. And then you proceed to not describe why that's
the case.
This review is just a track by track that doesn't go into detail about 1) why you like the album 2) why we
should like the album or 3) why this is important at all.
You even misquote "Whatsername," perhaps unintentionally, but still, this isn't good, even for a newspaper
article. You very briefly run through the basic plot of the album without doing anything else. What does
it sound like? Why should this all matter to us?
Needs a lot of work, man.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
I now know a lot about the concept behind the album, which is good.
But I know nothing of the music, which is not so good.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Goddamn 7 pages of review
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
Had no idea this was one of the most reviewed album on the site
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Its a Green Day album, it's begging for 3 million reviews.
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Review could use a little work... not gonna neg you though.
| | | Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off
Review needs work as mentioned before. This record defined the 2000's.
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For starters, your organization needs work. A lot of work. Your first paragraph starts with an idea and ends with a description of the first song and doesn't function as its own self-contained paragraph explicating an idea. Your intro should include a thesis (which you vaguely have: American Idiot was the voice of a generation) and your body paragraphs should be organized to prove this thesis while being well-written enough to not sound like a middle school English essay.
Track by tracks are typically frowned upon here. Don't describe each song individually; talk about the album as a whole. We're reviewing albums, not greatest hit collections, and it matters to talk about how the album works as a whole. You wouldn't do a movie review by describing each individual scene. Instead, you'd talk about the movie as a whole and cite specific scenes to back up your claim.
Which brings us to the final issue: you provide a thesis but never go into any detail. HOW is it the voice of a generation? What ideas, sentiments, frustrations, etc. are expressed here that reflect teens from the early 2000s? You have a decent thesis but it really needs to be explicated upon. We aren't interested in the minute details of what happens to Jimmy in each individual song. We readers were promised a revelation of the general issues Jimmy faces and how they reflected teens at the time, which you didn't do. You haphazardly assume your own thesis in your last sentence to be true without ever proving it, leaving the readers unsatisfied with what's already a poor conclusion since it's not organized (conclusion acts as a definitive statement, a So What? to your thesis).
I'm not going to neg, but this obviously needs a lot of work. Try reading through the Staff reviews to get a better feel of how reviews should read.
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Also, Billie has stated that the song "Wake Me Up When September Ends" serves as a dedication to his uncle who died in 1982 when he was ten years old. Meanwhile it's music video doubles as lost love and as an anti war message as the boy in the video dies in the Iraqi war.
It would help if your review had accuracy to it too.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
"It isn’t just the story of Jimmy and his
struggles; it’s a story of a generation and
their struggles."
So it's one of those reviews.
Honestly, the political themes of this album
are quite vague. SOAD are more political than
this.
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On the upside, Chan's review for this is amazing. As per usual. I've still never listened to this.
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But I know nothing of the music, which is not so good.
Yeah it's punk rock or opera or something? I can't really tell what this greeny day band is based on the review.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
With a concept like that it is definitely some kind of prog.
There is a grenade on the front, so that means it must be some kind of black metal, especially with the Anti American name.
But then Green Day makes it sound atmospheric , or is it a play on Pink Floyd? Maybe psychedelic.
So it is Black Psychedelic Progressive Punk Metal.
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Actually hoppman, its very obviously post-avant grunge chiptune
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grenade on the front, so that means it must be some kind of black metal
more likely politically charged thrash, or hardcore of some sort. Maybe crust?
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
So Progressive Crusty hXc blackened post-avant grunge chiptune with punk elements and psychedelic tendencies?
| | | Album Rating: 5.0
The point of this review was to explain the concept of the record and impact the album had on America. It was reviewed as a 10th Anniversary review so I thought rather than go into the music of a record almost everybody has heard I'd go deeper into the concept and impact that most the listeners don't pick up on. And Wake Me Up When September Ends is about Billie's Dad so check your facts before you tell me to check mine.
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I understand the point of this review, but it wasn't conveyed well at all. I didn't leave the review with a better understanding of the impact it had; all I left with was a vague idea it had something to do with terrorism and political anxiety. There are good ideas here, just flesh them out better and work on your organization and the review will be infinitely better. We're not trying to criticize you man, just your review. Keep writing and you'll definitely improve, good writing comes with practice (and God knows my writing needs work).
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
I'll say it bluntly: this is a fucking awful review. Go into detail. WHY is the album good? WHAT do the songs sound like, soft? Heavy? Slow? Fast? Aggressive? Mournful? WHY should I listen to it? You told me nothing except for the plot. Not trying to be a dick, but you don't even tell me what genre this is. If I had never heard of Green Day, this review would leave me as clueless as I was before.
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