Green Day

Warning (2000)
Green Day

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Contributed by: Scott
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on July 6th 2001

A five star rating.

Out of the 318 reviews located at punknews.org, 68 have previously achieved this feat, getting a 10 out of 10, a perfect score, an A+. Some, I completely agree with [Jawbreaker's "24 Hour Revenge Therapy" and "Dear You", The Dead Kennedys' "Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables", NOFX's "Punk In Drublic"], some I think are completely off the mark [Sum 41's "Half Hour Of Power", MxPx's "The Ever Passing Moment"], but amazingly, out of all 68 five star reviews on this site, not one of them is written by me.

I have contributed 71 reviews to this site prior to this one, and the highest rating any has gotten from me is four and a half stars [a three-way tie between Hot Water Music's "No Division", Diffuser's "Injury Loves Melody", and The Good Life's "Novena On A Nocturn"]. I have been reviewing records since 1997, and take it incredibly seriously. I don't believe that five star ratings should be tossed around like they mean nothing. A five star rating indicates an album has absolutely no faults; that it is a veritable masterpiece; that it is the artist in question's best work of their career. So it is with great pleasure that I present my first ever five star rating to Green Day's "Warning".

Green Day and I go way back, all the way back to the summer of 1994. I'm sure many of you have a similar memory: sitting at home at age 12, flicking channels randomly until the station becomes MTV. You pause for a second and observe the video about to take place on the screen: A short guy with a cruddy blue and white guitar and spiky hair stands in a mental hospital, waiting for the right moment to spew forth his prophecy. And then it begins: "Do you have the time/To listen to me whine/About nothing and everything all at once?" That was all it took. The snotty vocal line with the almost-too-precise guitar crunch was too much for me to take, I was riveted to the screen for the next 3 minutes. Hearing the perfect background harmonies from the bass player assured me I would enjoy, and then the drums kicked in and I knew I was in for something special.

Green Day changed my life. It's a bold statement to make, but one that is completely true. From that day forth, I would never be the same. I soon acquired "Dookie" [ironically, out of the more than 1000 CDs that I own now, this is the only one that I can't remember where I got it from] and learned it from open to close, along with the majority of America. I soon began to explore Green Day's back catalogue, while at the same time my older brother began to get into punk rock through other bands like the Dead Kennedys and Black Flag. I didn't know Green Day was "punk rock" at the time, I just knew I loved them.

I remember making my first Green Day-related purchase after "Dookie" - My dad and I were on a road trip from Arizona back to our home in Illinois in January of 1995, and before we left Phoenix, we stopped at a Best Buy and I purchased "Kerplunk!" I was almost afraid to play it in the car, for fear that my dad might whip it out of the window at 65 miles an hour, but he kept telling me to put it in, so I did. For the next 40 minutes he indulged me, telling by the air drums I was currently banging on that this band was something special. After it ended [with a cover of "My Generation," the one song I noticed that he enjoyed], he looked at me and said "Well, it's not really my thing, but I'm glad you like it." That was probably the biggest bonding moment I've ever had with my father.

After I wore out "Kerplunk!", I purchased "1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours" followed by "Insomniac" which came out that fall. Neither album really did the same things for me that "Kerplunk!" and "Dookie" did for me. I had no real desire to listen to either of those albums again. Sure, they had good songs on them, but it's sort of the shock value. With "Dookie" and "Kerplunk!", I was getting something I had never heard before. Everything after that was more or less along for the ride. The same thing happened with Green Day's 1997 release "Nimrod." I bought it and enjoyed it, but I can't say that it frequents my CD player very often. But I still had faith in Green Day.

Skip to summer of 2000. Green Day is reported as playing on the Warped Tour. I am ecstatic. I go as a member of the press and ended up being more of a blubbering fan after meeting Mike and Tre backstage and getting to talk to them [Billie Joe was pulling a "rockstar" that day and not talking to anyone]. It was like my dream come true. The show was amazing, and although I couldn't actually see the band beyond the first song [it's a long story, with the moral of it being that the World's/Tweeter Center's security guards are the biggest bunch of pigs and bigots I've ever encountered], I got some amazing pictures from the photo pit and I sang along with every word of their "Greatest Hits" set. Afterwards, I felt kind of bummed out that even though they had a new album coming out in the fall, they played absolutely nothing off of it. This made me start to doubt the band -- if they weren't comfortable playing new material in front of the throngs of people that first embraced them those many years ago, how would they ever be comfortable with it anywhere?

Skip to fall of 2000. I'm now starting my freshman year of college, and learning about the wonders of an incredibly fast connection to the internet. I find a site that has the entire "Warning" album available for download, a month before the album comes out. Being the true denying-authority punker that I am [yeah right], I proceed to download it and play it. And play it and play it and play it. It took about a dozen listens to grow on me, but then, that lucky 13th time, the entire album just clicked. I was singing along like I wrote the damn thing. I was playing the air drums all over again, something that had evaded me with Green Day since, well, 1994. There's no need to describe each song here. With a five star album, you shouldn't have to. The album should be an experience, not a track by track listen. A lot of people had bitched about it because there's no distortion, so it COULDN'T be punk rock. Please. This is as punk rock as they've ever been. Every song is incredibly crafted, with wonderful solos, ridiculously catchy hooks [I mean really - have you heard "Waiting" yet?], and their influences range from The Clash to Bruce Springsteen to Bob Dylan. To mix those three artists is about as punk rock as you can get. Green Day is not just a punk rock band, they are the embodiment of "Punk Rock" in the year 2000. After "Warning," this band can only get better. Is it possible to give six stars on this site, because I might have to, with their next album.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

gettingupthere (November 10, 2011)

I've seen reviews get slagged for containing too much background. I suppose this review should have been pointed to as defense that a paragraph or two isn't such a big deal, since it adds perspective and shows what angle the reviewer approached the album with, which helps the reader decipher whether he will find the review helpful to him. Without perspective the score a reviewer gives a record can essentially mean nothing to the reader, who may hate albums that have been given four stars in a review that doesn't contain background. This review takes it to another level though, with too much story and literally nothing being said about the actual record, save for a few sparse comments at the end. After reading the whole review there is no payoff because I don't feel I learned a thing about whether or not I would like to buy this record.
Since this was such a long time ago, I can give my opinion. I don't think this is the punk record people are saying it is, it really is alot of tired chord progressions and borrowed guitar riffs with the distortion turned off. At least we were "Warned".
And in reference to the reviewer, a five star record shouldn't have to be listened to thirteen times over for it to "click", as you say.

Gilpow (November 23, 2010)

There are many good songs on this album, the melodies are really catchy (as always), but maybe the sound is.. too soft? I mean, songs like Church On Sunday would have been much better if they had used more distorted guitar. Believe me, it's not a matter of "this is not punk, they are sellouts", I don't care about label the style of the band that I listen to, it's just my personal taste. Also, this could seem a consideration of no significance, but I think this record is too short.

GuyPaterson (August 28, 2009)

Look! Its Green Day's last good studio album! Look quick before it's... American Idiot! NOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooOOOOOOO!

Anonymous (June 17, 2006)

Oh, my world. It is ok

FuckYouOiOiOi (December 4, 2005)

i guess i'm not mature enough but i like dookie more than this (and american idiot).

TraumaSponge (July 22, 2005)

This is the most punk album of all time ever.

Anonymous (July 16, 2005)

Green day has got to bee the best band ever ! Love you guys

Anonymous (March 10, 2005)

Green Day actually have gotten better as time goes on. This is a great, great album.

Anonymous (January 8, 2004)

So what if the album doesn't sound like a punk album. It's still good music and contains some of the most punk lyrics Green Day have ever written (warning, fashion victim, macys day parade, minority)

Anonymous (December 21, 2003)

So...you people don't like it because it's different from what Green Day did 10 years ago?

Anonymous (November 5, 2003)

yeah really...one of the greatest...ever...so if you don't like it then you really don't get what is music!

punk_kid (August 3, 2001)

how can some people who were green day fans say they haet this cd? or call it a "sell-out" album? they put much more time, effort and TALENT into this one. it is all very original and catchy just like early GD.

Anonymous (August 3, 2001)

And then my dad looked at me and said derrherrrherrr son this is an alright cd, uhhh what, yeah the life story thing was pretty funny, never seen someone do that in a review, i've liked green day for a long time but this isn't them, i got this cd the morning it came out and was driving home playing it and almost fell asleep when i was driving home, i'd like to see them return to thier ealry sound or at least anything beside this...i won't call it crap but i will call it unexpected, kinda like seeing leftover crack play pop rock...that would be a sight

Anonymous (July 18, 2001)

I respect Green Day cuz they r one of the biggest names in punk, plus I like all of there are other cd's but this one fuckin sucked dick. I mean there are a few songs that r alright (waiting, deadbeat hotel) but alot of it is pure fuckin shit!!!! And even to wait 3 years to release this piece of shit. I mean I figure after 3 years since there last album, I expected this one to be amazing, fuck I was so disapointed, this honestly sucks, its quite ashame I had to write this but I had to tell the truth

SONIKtheHEDGEHOG (July 9, 2001)

This cd is really not that great. It's ok at best defentialy not 10 stars. I've liked Green Day forever and there best cd has to be a tie between 1,039 and Insomniac. But Warning is so far off of there style it's not even funny. You know these songs could be good if played live but on this cd they just suck. Warning is the worst song I've ever heard from this band. Anyways just putting in my two cents.

Anonymous (July 9, 2001)

a 5 star album doesn't have to be flawless. if the reviewer loves the album enough to where he/she never gets tired of it, plays it all the time, and sings it when he's not listening to it, it should get a 5. I rated Avail's "4 am friday' a 5. most people wont agree there, but i've never heard hardcore punk as good as that album.(by the way the Jawbreaker was also mine) i can see how warning would get a 5 from somebody because of it's different sound and catchy songs, but not me. i thought it was really boring and absolutely not green day.but that's my opinion, and i respect yours(unless you like sum41, then your an idiot)- fathead

Anonymous (July 9, 2001)

good review. bad rating. bad album. bad band.

sickboi (July 9, 2001)

Good album....but Green Day's best shit is definately "1039...."

Anonymous (July 8, 2001)

Where the hell is the punk. This is not a punk album! what gives??

Anonymous (July 7, 2001)

You should have indulged a little more into the album's review, and not so much on your life. Aside from that, I realized I wasn't the only one that thought this album was awesome!

Anonymous (July 7, 2001)

didn't like this one...i bought it and just didn't give it a fair chance...i listened to it or "tried" twice...it just didn't hit me like green day used too...i still like 'em...just not this album

Anarchy_Adam (July 7, 2001)

I found this album... Boring. I can't say why. I just didn't like it. I'll take old green day over this.

guitarer1c2 (July 7, 2001)

Pretty cool review. A little long and I disagree with your opinions of Insomniac and Nimrod, but hey, it's ok. Warning is awesome!

Anonymous (July 6, 2001)

good reveiw of a great album, but in future for all the reviewers out there, lets keep the life stories to a mimnum, it gets tiresome after awhile.

Anonymous (July 6, 2001)

Although i agree with the 5 stars, i didn't need to know that much about your life, so i actually didn't make it to the end of the "review" if you wanna call that a review.