I have finally got around to buying this damn album, 5 years after it was released, and I am damn glad I did.
I have always loved Green Day, ever since I got 'Smoothed out slappy' years and years ago. Then I lent it to a friend and never got it back...you know how it is.
My other friend then bought Dookie, the album that every Green Day fan has, well, apart from me. Yeah, I like it, but everyone expects you to have it, so I don't. Ok, ok, I will get around to buying it one day, but I'm not in a hurry for it. About two years later, at a certain rock club called the Tivoli I heard Brain Stew and thought it was the best song I had ever heard, but I had absolutely no idea which album it was on. This was the beginning of my 'green daze' which I am in right now.
Anyway, having no idea which album the track was on, and not knowing its name I went out and bought Nimrod, hoping that it was on this one, as then it would be a bonus along with Good Riddance.
Ok, so you've guessed it by now, the track was on Imsomniac, otherwise why would I have metioned it in the review of that exact CD, I guess just to stress how fantastic the song is.
The first track's introduction introduces the whole album with a good drum beat and fantastic riffs from Billie-Joe Armstrong and Tre Cool.
This is Armatige Shanks and it doesn't last long enough. It has a really good tune, but it is all over too quickly. That is what I found with this album.
Sure, I usually can't wait for Track 10 (Brain Stew...did you guess?!) to come on, but if getting to that song quicker means that the first nine tracks are really short, I am prepared to wait.
Maybe it is because I like the album too much. You know like, time flies when you're having fun...yeah, this album is fun.
The second track is also too short, but, as you will hear from the lyrics, is quite rightly called Brat. 'I'll just wait from Mom and Dad to die and get my inheritance.'
I won't go on and on about all of the songs, as I will write too much, and I am sure you will all get bored of 'wow this song is really good, and fantastic bass work...' as that is what I think of for all of the songs.
The two songs that I HAVE to point out are, of course Brain Stew, and 86.
86 gets stuck in your head easily, but that is really not a bad thing. Perhaps a little difficult to dance to, but good to sing along to, and YES it has just come on my CD player, so I'll have another good listen before continuing...
A fantasic intro, with oh yey a nice pick slide, which in some peoples minds, pick slides come accross as a little '80's'. But hey, the song is 86, and it fits well! The song isn't too short either, but just question, when they sing 'there's no return from 86, so don't even try...' um, where the hell IS 86??
The next song also has a fantastic intro, which I'm gonna have to say does have 'fantastic bass work' from Mike, and it makes me jealous that I can't play it. Practice, my deary, that's all it will take...
The last song I will comment on is, of course, Brain Stew.
THE best intro in the world, THE best lyrics in the world, you can dance to it, sing to it, and that, my little mouthshutter's, is why it was playing at the Tivoli, and has done for years, BECAUSE IT IS PURE GREEN DAY!!
'I'm having trouble trying to sleep, I'm counting sheep but running out, As time ticks by, and still I try, no rest for crosstops in my mind; on my own...here we go'.
The song then thunders into the chords that introduced the song and they continue throughout, without getting 'tired'. The song is all about insomnia, from when Billie-Joe had just had his baby and suffered from it. It is obviously the biggest input on the album, influencing the album title too. How many of you have noticed that?!
It is the best song that they have ever done in my opinion, and is the whole reason I own every green day album...well, apart from Dookie, but we all know about that...!
If you are not really sure about Green Day, if you like them or not, it has to be said BUY IT FOR THE SLEEVE COVER! It is mental, and makes a really cool poster, although, you might wanna keep it in your cd-case so you know which one's Insomniac, although the picture on the front of the cd... the madness sums up Green Day in a second. If you like the happy punk, which is not-so-happy, or if you like Nimrod (forget about Dookie for now) you really should be on the train to town RIGHT NOW to buy it, buy it, buy it! What do you mean the shops aren't open at this time of night?!
