CLASSIC REVIEW: Dookie by Green Day

Green day are one of the few 90s rock bands still around where you can ask "who here heard green day's new album" and most people would know what you were on about. Forming in the late 80s to little success, the band went from a bland punk band to a world renowned pop punk band in a span of 5 years. This success is largely due to the 1994 release "Dookie". The album has been out for over two decades now and is still considered legendary due to the number of hit singles off it and the mainstream appeal it attracted to the punk scene. While it gets a whole lot of criticism for that reason exactly, its hard to deny the sheer impact the album has had on this generation, with incredibly catchy hooks, relatable angsty lyrics, hard, driving guitars, and fast paced drumming it's not surprising they've cemented themselves in history. With songs like longview detailing teenage angst and the things we do in our lonesome, and songs like basket case telling the story of a man feeling unsafe in his own head (in humorous fashion might I add) the album back to back features strong melodies and strong storytelling penned from singer/guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong. In terms of instrumentation, it's important not to leave out Mike Dirnt's excellent bass work (especially on songs like longview) and Tre Cool's tremendous fast paced drumming. There are flaws, as during some parts of the albums it feels like the same songs are on loop but the unique little details on each track make them stand out and differentiate them enough to make it enjoyable. Is it their best work? No, but looking at the background information and the influence it's had dookie has truly left it's mark in history. Rank 7/10 (Above Average) Article by John Wolf