Green Day Should Make Energy Numero Uno

In my mind there will always be Green Day before "American Idiot" and Green Day after. "American Idiot" was a prime example of what one's imagination can do when it crosses paths with untamed ambition. To this day "Holiday" remains one of my all-time favorite singles. There's fangs with blood dripping off of them. Billie's guitar has its sights set on you from the first note. At the song's close I feel contentedly exhausted. He gave it one million percent and I felt every bead of sweat. 2012 brings with it "Uno!" If you miss the unabashed stick your tongue out at posers, unworthy lovers, and losers you were only too happy to graduate high school to get the hell away from bursts of vigor that comprise "Dookie" era Green Day then grab a knife and fork 'cause you'll be eating hearty for a good while. However if you're in search of Green Day music that's consistently engaging from first track to last you'll be left wanting. I prefer Billie Joe, Mike, and Tre' when they take their pop punk energy, roll it into a tightly compressed ball, and then proceed to ram it straight up your ass. This style of bravado makes me think of soldiers storming the Bastille. They're busting down the door whether you're prepared for it or not. Take "Nuclear Family" for instance. It's an exemplary way to kick off the album. Potency spews out the yin yang. Show of hands amongst the already converted who share my appreciation for the short bursts of raw punk aggression. Billie expresses his commitment to grabbing life by the balls and holding on for all he's worth. His second and third wind becomes ours. "Carpe Diem" has the mojo needed to get others inspired to grab the pen and keep writing the life script the way they see fit. Try to avoid getting prickly excited when you hear the vitality go up in increments between Tre' behind the kit and Billie with his twanger. Even "Loss of Control" unapologetically shows off the burning flame of empowerment that comes from knowing it's best to embrace the screwed up half-wit inside of you rather than to try running in the opposite direction because deep down we're all screw ups on some level. It's during the course of songs where the pace seems to be flagging a bit ("Fell For You", "Angel Blue") that you'd have to shift your focus more to the nostalgic lyrics since there isn't enough pep to hang your hat on. I can see why "Oh Love" was released as the first single. In rhythms and attitude it's far and away different from the other 11 tracks. In this case standing out is a good thing. I enjoy how the layers of chord and unrushed delivery sort of inch into place. The song is the only standout example of how what the tortoise said in that famous fable is sort of true. Slow but steady does in fact win audience appeal. No one's going to confuse "Uno!" with "Nimrod", "American Idiot" or any other link in the Green Day chain of artistic efforts but that's not entirely bad. I merely wish Green Day had trained for twelve rounds of fret guided fisticuffs instead of becoming bogged down in more methodical selections late in the fight. Even still having Green Day back in the music mix is unquestionably rewarding. Spending time with them once more is worth the effort.