[Prototype]

In the POLITICAL/PUNK category, I'm selecting Green Day's triumphant return...

1. "American Idiot" – 2:54
2. "Jesus of Suburbia" – 9:08
3. "Holiday" – 3:52
4. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" – 4:20
5. "Are We the Waiting" – 2:43
6. "St. Jimmy" – 2:55
7. "Give Me Novacaine" – 3:25
8. "She's a Rebel" – 2:00
9. "Extraordinary Girl" – 3:33
10. "Letterbomb" – 4:06
11. "Wake Me Up When September Ends" – 4:45
12. "Homecoming" - 9:18
13. "Whatsername" - 4:14

The album's protagonist, Jesus of Suburbia, emerged out of Armstrong asking himself what sort of person the title of "American Idiot" referred to. Armstong described the character as essentially an anti-hero, a powerless "everyman" desensitized by a "steady diet of soda pop and Ritalin". Jesus of Suburbia hates his town and those close to him, so he leaves for the city. As the album progresses the characters of St. Jimmy and Whatsername are introduced. St. Jimmy is punk rock freedom fighter, "the son of a bitch and Edgar Allen Poe." Whatsername, inspired by the Bikini Kill song "Rebel Girl", is a "Mother Revolution" figure that Armstrong described as "kind of St. Jimmy's nemesis in a lot of ways." Both characters illustrate the "rage vs. love" theme of the album, in that "you can go with the blind rebellion of self-destruction, where Saint Jimmy is. But there's a more love-driven side to that, which is following your beliefs and ethics. And that's where Jesus of Suburbia really wants to go," according to Armstrong. Near the end of the story, St. Jimmy apparently commits suicide. While the singer did not want to give away the details of the story's resolution, he said the intention is for the listener to ultimately realize that Jesus of Suburbia is really St. Jimmy, and Jimmy is "part of the main character that pretty much dies." The reason for St.Jimmy's suicide is because of the Jesus of Suburbia's conformity to regular life, illustrated in "Homecoming: East 12th Street" with "Jesus filling out paperwork now, at the facility on East 12th St." Jesus of Suburbia longs to have the St. Jimmy personality back to break conformity and "be free" as heard in the same song by saying "I don't want to stay, get me out of here right now, I just wanna be free." Then, in "Homecoming: Nobody Likes You" it is said that Jesus of Suburbia's relationship with Whatsername is starting to fade away. In the album's final song, "Whatsername," Jesus of Suburbia loses his connection with Whatsername as well, forgetting her completely.

Allmusic praised the album from both perspectives; either as "a collection of great songs", or as a whole. Pitchfork Media said the "ambitious" album was successful in getting across its message, and "keeps its mood and method deliberately, tenaciously, and angrily on point". Uncut wrote that although the album was heavily politically focused, "slam-dancing is still possible", in a moderate review,while The New York Times praised Green Day for trumping "any pretension with melody and sheer fervor".

American Idiot


Jesus Of Suburbia


Holiday


Boulevard Of Broken Dreams


Wake Me Up When September Ends