Green Day - Warning

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Green Day - Warning

Fresh off their slot on the Vans Warped Tour pop/punk veterans Green Day released their sixth studio album "Warning" on Tuesday. After briefly flirting with the idea of producer Scott Litt (R.E.M. Nirvana) overseeing the newest disc the band decided to take production duties into their own hands. The band had already been practicing and performing the songs together for the better part of the last two years, so when it came time to record the album it was done quickly and efficiently. The finished result is an album that is a lot broader, more layered and has more depth than any of their previous recordings. Although the album was originally said to be more of a rocker and a return to Green Day's earlier independent recordings like 1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours and Kerplunk, it seemed to follow the trend that Nimrod started. Which is more melody and more branching out. This time around the boys try a little experimenting with such things as accordions, harmonicas, a mariachi band, and even enlisting the help of a dominatrix to beat one of the poor engineers to get just the right sound for the track "Blood, Sex, and Booze".

The album kicks off with the title track "Warning" with lyrics that seem to be culled straight from the warning labels on everyday products you can find under your own kitchen sink but is actually a rallying cry against rules. The aforementioned "Blood, Sex, and Booze" is a return to the less "mature" material in the Green Days catalogue. Next up is "Church on Sunday" which I believe is the closest Green Day has come to a love song and includes the lyrics "If I promise to go to church on Sunday will you go with me on Friday night" definatly one of the better songs on the album.

Next up is "Fashion Victim" a song against the evils of Gap and Old Navy and any other annoying aggressive marketing ploys. The album kind of hits a lull towards the middle with songs that although solid, they are nothing that really jumps out and grabs your attention. While songs like "Deadbeat Holiday", and "Castaway" refreshingly reminds us of the punch of older Green Day material, the accordion driven "Misery" strives to be different and manages to feel like the same old stuff. The album picks back up with "Waiting" which if released as a single has radio hit written all over it if you ask me.

The first single, "Minority" has already achieved hit status and currently sits atop the modern rock singles chart and the accompanying video is currently getting major play on MTV. The album closer "Macy's Day Parade" is a song that follows closely in the steps of the bands biggest break thru hit to date "Good Riddance (time of your life)". The ballad is described by Tre Cool in a recent interview with Sonicnet.com as "a song that will make you want to totally start crying, if you're one of those crybaby people." Defiantly one of, if not, the best song on the record and a very strong choice to close the album.

The album as a whole comes off as a lot sunnier and more optimistic than their previous albums, but keeps that same snotty sarcasm that you come to expect from Green Day it just doesn't surface as often as you would like. Despite having no "hardcore" punk songs among the twelve tracks I think this album is probably the most rebellious of their six albums. Instead of conforming to the three-chord punk standard or playing into current trends that are topping the charts Green Day decides to go their own way and make an album that they wanted to make and can be proud of. If you haven't already purchased this disc I strongly suggest you get off of the dorm room couch and head over to your local music shop and get it now.


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