Matt Hattaway

Staff Reporter

“She’s a symbol of resistance, and she’s holding on my heart like a hand grenade,” sings out Billie Joe Armstrong, guitarist and vocalist for the punk-rock-opera band Green Day in their song, She’s A Rebel. Their new CD, American Idiot, which coincidentally features a hand holding a grenade on the cover art, has been out in stores for some time now and the band is making a bundle. Along with Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tré Cool created Green Day over a decade ago. Now, six albums later, the three men from the San Francisco/Bay Area are still looked upon with great reverence and awe by fans

The thirteen-track album features the story of a young man by the name of Jesus of Suburbia. Young Jesus has grown tired of his Bay Area home, his friends, the 7-Eleven where he hangs out, et cetera, and moves to the city. Once he arrives, Jesus meets a guy named St. Jimmy who “is portrayed as a sort of streetwise godfather-ish punk type of guy who Jesus finds he can relate to because he is questioning his own beliefs. Soon after his encounter with St. Jimmy, Jesus of Suburbia meets a girl named, ironically, What’s-her-name. Soon, Jesus is caught in the crossfire, stuck choosing between the two people he loves most. Should he go with the anger (St. Jimmy) or the love (What’s-her-name)? He eventually chooses St. Jimmy. However, toward the end of the album, St. Jimmy kills himself and Jesus ends up choosing What’s-her-name. The two date for a while, but she soon leaves Jesus for someone else. Afterwards, Jesus of Suburbia is forced to go back home.

Complete with steady guitar riffs, catchy lyrics, and a storyline that is actually quite appealing, American Idiot is one punk-rock-opera album that is definitely worth buying.