Green Day
Warning
Reprise
2000
So, Green Day went on vacation and came back with this? But this isn't the same band that came out with 'Dookie,' surely? Nah, this isn't Green Day. Sure, that's Billie Joe singing, but it doesn't sound like them. There's something missing. Where's that vitriolic Billie Joe rage?
The answer is, it isn't there. Green Day have grown up and mellowed out. Anyone expecting another 'Nimrod' will be very disappointed. Instead, Green Day have crafted an average pop-punk album, more in a chart-hugging, MTV ass-kissing style than the raging spew that the band regurgitated during 'Nimrod.' OK, that's harsh. 'Warning' is a decent album. But it's not Green Day.
When 'Warning' has its punkier moments, it's a great album. The down and dirty 'Blood, Sex and Booze' is the closest we get to old Green Day. 'Minority,' 'Church On Sunday' and 'Castaway' show encouraging signs. Chugging buzzsaw guitars combined with Mr Armstrong's world famous vocals give Green Day their instantly recognisable sound. But the excellent moments are all to brief, and are heavily outweighed by some very dodgy parts.
When Green Day mellow out, they are quite frankly shit. 'Misery' is utter bollocks. What the hell they are doing with an accordion, mandolin and farfisa (your guess is to what this is, is as good as mine...) is a mystery. 'Warning' is turgid and stale and certainly not good enough to be a single. 'Macy's Day Parade' has potential, but just fades out to finish the album. The one accoustic highlight is 'Waiting,' although the melody is stolen from that 'Downtown' song.
If anybody else had come along with this, I'd probably be saying how wonderful it is. Don't get me wrong, 'Warning' has its moments. But it's not what we waited three years for, and it certainly is not the Green Day that sold tens of millions of records.
Paul Savage
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