I didn't mean to argue in the first place. But I guess my main point, which I didn't really make explicit, is that the corny romantic bullshit so pronounced in the September video actually comes to naught at the conclusion of the album. That may be no solace to you, as I can't really justify the way they portray the war.
Also, I'd imagine you dislike the three singles off American Idiot more or less because of their intense pop sensibility. [In my mind I can hear you saying: "No, they just suck." But seriously, I think this is the case.] Now, I am not nearly as big a fan of P.S. as, say, Alex Claxton is, but it's important to keep in mind that this album is an intentionally poppy Broadway-styled rock opera, taking the ever-so-exhausted teenage paradigm (a pretty cheesy thing to begin with, and I'm talking about a teenage paradigm before Emo), and giving it modern context. So I think it's safe to say that you can't even get a sense for the subtlety without at least taking into account the larger aim, if not listening to the rest of the album. The songs are on the radio because they are cheesy, simplistic, catchy, etc., all the trappings of pop sensibility. But they are crafted that way on the album not for-the-sake-of getting on the radio, like so much other shitty music is. So, if you hate it because of pop sensibility, there really is some irony there. If you like it because of pop sensibility, there too is some irony -- is this person the American Idiot?
I'm no stranger to intense pop sensibility. I dig, for instance, Toxic. But not, like, any other Britney Spears song. And only because of the production; the singing is terrible. BUT, even the production maintains that sensibility, and I still think it's a great club groove.
Or, for instance, Green Day's own Dookie, which also had pretty intense pop sensibilities. I love that album. In fact, it's probably one of the best rock albums of the 90's.
It bothers me that I can't come up with a simple explanation as to why the three new GD singles suck. Perhaps it is the character of the poppiness, the specific way in which it induces those catchy, hook-centric pop vibes. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. For me, the new singles don't work.
Also, I'd imagine you dislike the three singles off American Idiot more or less because of their intense pop sensibility. [In my mind I can hear you saying: "No, they just suck." But seriously, I think this is the case.] Now, I am not nearly as big a fan of P.S. as, say, Alex Claxton is, but it's important to keep in mind that this album is an intentionally poppy Broadway-styled rock opera, taking the ever-so-exhausted teenage paradigm (a pretty cheesy thing to begin with, and I'm talking about a teenage paradigm before Emo), and giving it modern context. So I think it's safe to say that you can't even get a sense for the subtlety without at least taking into account the larger aim, if not listening to the rest of the album. The songs are on the radio because they are cheesy, simplistic, catchy, etc., all the trappings of pop sensibility. But they are crafted that way on the album not for-the-sake-of getting on the radio, like so much other shitty music is. So, if you hate it because of pop sensibility, there really is some irony there. If you like it because of pop sensibility, there too is some irony -- is this person the American Idiot?
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Or, for instance, Green Day's own Dookie, which also had pretty intense pop sensibilities. I love that album. In fact, it's probably one of the best rock albums of the 90's.
It bothers me that I can't come up with a simple explanation as to why the three new GD singles suck. Perhaps it is the character of the poppiness, the specific way in which it induces those catchy, hook-centric pop vibes. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. For me, the new singles don't work.
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