New releases from artists you haven’t heard from in a while
‘21st Century Breakdown’
Artist: Green Day
Label: Reprise
Grade: 88888
REVIEW. Green Day’s long-awaited follow-up to their 2004 conceptual warhorse “American Idiot” is another rock opera of sorts. Like its predecessor, the story line is slightly vague, the energy is infectiously angsty and the songs are strong enough that they can be extracted for radio without confusing listeners. And like its predecessor, “21st Century Breakdown” has all the ingredients of an absolute classic. Opening with a walkie talkie vocal, it will be unmistakable from the first notes when somebody puts it on at a party. From there it marches at a breakneck pace through a tale of political unrest from the perspective of 14-year-old. The songwriting and production serve as a perfect “this is how it’s done” to the harmonic mall punk imitators Green Day have spawned. The album is not without its flaws — some sappy ballads, moments of melodrama, and a few melodies borrowed from other tunes — but most of these faults are forgivable if you consider how intellectually stimulating the rest of the material is, that the kid that Billy Joe and co. are singing about is in the class of 2013, and oh yeah, it really rocks!
Metro/PH
This summer is shaping up to be a playground for artists who haven’t released full studio albums since before any of us had iPhones to listen to the tracks. Perhaps that’s a stretch, not all of us have iPhones, but May and June are full of musicians who have come back for more.
Green Day’s newest actually hits stores and the Web on Friday. Check out the review at left.
Mos Def releases his first album in three years, “The Ecstatic,” on June 9. The beloved MC brings back his infamous spoken word poetry along with a few tracks that would have a crowd dancing as if it were Black Eyed Peas concert.
Coincidentally, Mos Def will have to compete with the Black Eyed Peas’ “The E.N.D.” also out June 9. Will.i.am and Fergie take a break from their solo careers to release the Peas’ first album since 2005. The group describes the album as an innovative concept of an ongoing musical compilation rather than just an album, hence why “Boom Boom Pow” has been at No. 1 on the Billboard charts for eight weeks, and has everyone saying “gotta get-get.”
Other blasts from the not-so-distant past include Mandy Moore, with her new album “Amanda Leigh” out May 26.
Don’t worry that Mandy has gone all “Sasha Fierce” on us with the album title. Amanda Leigh Moore is the name her parents gave her. From what we’ve heard, the album is an extension of the country detours she’s been taking her pop songs through since we heard that chilled out version of “Umbrella.” Being married to Ryan Adams probably doesn’t hurt either.
311’s “Uplifter” is out June 2. They haven’t had a single for about three years, and judging from early listens they haven’t changed their sound too much. They must just need an excuse to tour.
Arguably the most anticipated release (and a favorite of summer-concert junkies) is Dave Matthews Band’s “Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King,” also out June 2. This will be the first album in four years as well as the first release since the death of saxophonist LeRoi Moore. The album was worth the wait; look forward to collaborations with Tim Reynolds.
