Green Day Review

I've been gone for a while, I know...trying to get myself reenergised, refreshed and relaxed! The exams are just over, and I'm elated that the holidays had started with a bang!

So totally caught Terminator Salvation; lemme tell you something, Sam Worthington is the hottest dude ALIVE! (Well, there are hotter ones, but still.) He has these pair of gorgeous chocolate brown eyes, short crew cut and that gorgeous jawline (thanks kimmy) that can cut through glass! AWWWWW, he gives my heart the melts!

The movie revolves around John Connor (played by the drool worthy Christian Bale), who is pretty much the 'big man upstairs' of the Resistance, an organization created against the domination of machines in the year 2018. He meets this character, Marcus Wright (Sam), through his colleague, Blair (Moon Bloodgood. Doesn't her name sound like a fricking Twilight character?). A lot of guns, gore (a guy got shot in the weiner during this movie! lol!) and plenty of destruction. A stunner.

OHHHHH AND I HAVE THE NEW GREEN DAY ALBUM! SALVATION FINALLY!

The album is so incredibly melodic; it's heartwrenching and beautifully written. It takes a while before you start understanding the album's concept and the direction it is heading. This album is an epic rock opera, depicting two distinctly different characters; a self-destructing, narcissist by the name of Christian and a polar opposite of a girl by the name of Gloria. Gloria is an idealistic, politically aware woman, who understands the tricks of the trade in this cruel world. Though both of them are worlds apart in terms of their family and background, they meet and eventually fall in love.

Well, that's my ideal ending, I'm not sure how it ties itself.

Anyway, the 58-second soundbite is a solid, compact piece; Billie Joe's voice is surprisingly soft and extremely well-pitched. A fusion of theatricality and forties' nostalgia, this kickstarts the album into full gear, and gets your adrenaline pumping.

It hits into its title track, '21st Century Breakdown', a counterfeit track of their earlier efforts, 'Warning'. It's mostly pop-driven, and its blatantly obvious that Green Day has been digging through their old sixties records for inspiration; not my particular favourite track as it sits painfully between two facets of Green Day that I've come to respect and admire; it's neither hard-hitting rock, or melodically potent to sit in the big leagues of Green Day's ballads such as 'Whatsername' and 'Time of Your Life'.

But it slowly picks up pace when their first single, 'Know Your Enemy' starts blaring through my radio! It's catchy enough for commerical radio, and just enough spunk to whet my appetite for the songs to come. Gaining heavy rotation in Malaysia, I'm sure it has 'hit song' written all over it! The chorus carries a 'punch-in-the-air' swagger and holds a great hook that immediately gets stuck in my head.

Viva La Gloria I is the real gem of the album, one of my personal favourite songs off this album. It is so gorgeously written, married with the twinkling of the ivories and a side of Billie Joe NONE of us GD fans had ever seen before. It starts off a ballad for about the first minute and a half, until it transcends boundaries into a heart-thumping anthem. The lyrics in this song is a more evolved, matured Green Day, proving once and for all, that this band is a legend on its own.

She smashed her knuckles into winter

As autumns wind fades into black

She is the saint on all the sinners

The one that's fallen through the cracks

If you've listened long enough, you'd understand the significant change in terms of Green Day's approach on songwriting. During their Dookie days, their lyrics were gritty, and sometimes, it didn't make a lot of sense; it was obvious that Billie Joe was going through a tough time with his life, and that was evident in his lyrics. His lyrics now are more compelling, and he is able to fully portray the image of his protaganists and their mindset during that period. Though he is content, it doesn't mean that his lyrics have softened or lack in biting humour; you still feel him channeling his feelings through his work.

Another song that was so painfully poignant was their OTHER ballad, 'Last Night On Earth'. It is one of the best songs off their album; it's extremely Beatle-esque; tragic, poetic and timeless. It's not a classic Green Day I'd known, but I'm still pleased with this new sound Green Day's experimenting with. 'Last Night', to me, resembles a spacious room, a venue for change and evolvement that allows the song to soar. It brings forward an array of emotions; the tragic, dull ache of loss, and the hopeful glimmer of light that makes it way through the song.

'EJN' (East Jesus Nowhere) is a slap-in-the-face effort that pulls the fighters together and has allowed Green Day to claim back the title as pivotal punk rockers of our time. It throws everything out in the open; from racism to media censorship. Inspired by a line used in the quirky indie flick, 'Juno', Green Day had created a great track that's noisy, fun and angry, without the element of goofiness and immaturity; Green Day's grown so much over these few years, as seen from 'American Idiot'.

'Peacemaker' on the other, is an entirely different route altogether from the album. It has a sense of polka, Mexican Latino flavour, with the Billie Joe trademark 'hey hey' chant thrown in for good measure. Probably the first track that latched on to me, and made me wanna dance my ass off. I can't really explain this song, really...it requires the actual experience of listening and feeling this song as it is. Reminiscent of their heyday during 97's Nimrod and 00's Warning, one of the better tracks of this album. Caution; extremely catchy and infectious, might get stuck in your head for days to come.

'Last Of The American Girls' did not sit well for me at first, because it reminded me too much of Click Five's Jenny. It was bordering on bubblegum pop, with the tacky keyboard and the equally tacky bop-bop-bop tune. The lyrics are simple and easy, with plenty of substance, but there were some parts that just didn't fit right for me. Some raging cynics might call this a ripoff of their younger counterparts, but after taking several spins of this song, I guess I can understand where Green Day was heading in the making of this song. It's originally written for Billie Joe's wife of 14/15 (not keeping track) years, Adrienne Nesser. Yeah, it's a great song, but I much prefer the earlier song Billie had written for her when they just started out, '80'.

I'm tired. Will put the rest up next week.

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AMERICAN IDOL IS STUPID.

AMERICAN IDOL IS SO OBVIOUSLY FUCKED UP.

HOW THE HELL....???

I CAN'T COMPREHEND THE FACT THAT ADAM WAS IN

THE BOTTOM TWO, WHEN HE PERFORMED SO WELL

THIS WEEK. HE IS CONSISTENTLY GOOD; HE ALWAYS

BRINGS SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO THE TABLE AND

SLAYS IT EVERY WEEK.

THIS WEEK, HE PERFORMED 'FEELING GOOD', AN AMAZING SONG BTW, AND ROCKED IT. HE MADE SUCH AN ENTRANCE, AND HIS VOICE WAS INCREDIBLE.

IRONICALLY, TWO OF SIMON'S FAVOURITE PERFORMANCES WERE IN THE BOTTOM THREE THIS WEEK. IT'S BLATANTLY OBVIOUS THAT THERE IS NO SPACE FOR TALENT ON THAT SHOW. CASE IN POINT, THE ELIMINATION OF ALEXIS GRACE ON WEEK TWO.

MATT G, ADAM AND KRIS WERE IN THE BOTTOM THREE THIS WEEK.

HMMM.

BASTARDS.

ADAM RULES, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF DANNY, HONESTLY. HE WAS PRETTY GOOD IN THE BEGINNING, UNTIL HE STARTED GETTING PREDICTABLE. HE KEPT PERFORMING REALLY DATED, EIGHTIES SONGS, AND DOESN'T DO ANYTHING SPECIAL WITH IT. IT ALL SOUNDS LIKE SOME MIXED TAPE YOUR UNCLE MIGHT'VE CUT A BILLION YEARS BACK.

ALLISON, THOUGH SHE IS UNDENIABLY ONE OF THE BEST SIXTEEN YEAR OLD SINGERS OUT THERE, I ALWAYS FOUND HER EXTREMELY ANNOYING, AND I REALLY DISLIKE THE WAY SHE SINGS. IT'S ALMOST INCOHERENT! I CAN BARELY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS RAMBLING ON ABOUT.

AMERICAN IDOL SUCKS.

It sucks ass. BIG TIME.

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A Criminal Behind The Ugly, Tacky Mask; The Death-Sentence of Power Rangers.

Skylar Deleon, 29, who had a bit part in an episode of 1990s series "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers", faces the death penalty after being convicted of three counts of murder at a trial in Santa Ana, California. (Aiyoyoyo three counts!? Wow.)

Deleon was accused of killing Tom and Jackie Hawks in 2004 in order to steal their £292,000 ($500,000) boat and life savings. (You see? It doesn't mean that just because you got a cool role a few years back, doesn't mean you can goyang kaki and stop working altogether!!!)

Deleon was also found guilty of murdering Jon Jarvi, of Anaheim, in 2003. Prosecutors had said Deleon met Jarvi in a work programme while serving jail time for burglary,(Power Rangers must be really pokai!) and killed him in Mexico after Jarvi gave him £29,000 ($50,000). The verdicts had been viewed as a foregone conclusion after defense lawyers acknowledged Deleon was guilty in opening statements, an unusual tactic designed to save him from the death penalty.

Gary Pohlson told reporters that he plans to convince the jury to spare his client's life by having Deleon's relatives and doctors testify during the punishment phase about his troubled past.

"He's had a horrible, horrible life," Mr Pohlson said, noting that Deleon's father abused him and later died of AIDS.

The jury will begin deliberations on Deleon's sentence on Wednesday October 22.
During the trial, the court heard how Deleon and two other men, John F. Kennedy (Haha! President John Kennedy resurrects himself as a convicted murderer! Biggest contradiction ever.) and Alonso Machain, had sailed out with the Hawks' from Newport Harbor in November 2004 for what the unsuspecting couple believed was a test run. Deleon and his cohorts had been posing as prospective buyers of the yacht.

However once out at sea, the three men overpowered the couple, handcuffing them and covering their eyes and mouths with duct tape before forcing them to sign and fingerprint title transfer documents for the yacht.

Machain, who testified for the prosecution, told how the terrified couple were then tied to the boat's anchor and lowered into the sea. Their bodies were never found. Machain and Kennedy face trials at a later date.

Before

After

Sedih kan??? :(

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GREEN DAY!!!!

Listening to: Coldplay's Life in Technicolour II (awesome song! Download it!!)

I can die and go to heaven right now!

THE BEST BAND TO HAVE EVER WALKED THIS EARTH IS FINALLY READY TO RELEASE THEIR HIGHLY, HIGGGGHHHHHHLLLLLYYYYY ANTICIPATED ALBUM, '21ST CENTURY BREAKDOWN'!!!!

Words cannot express how happy I get some news on my favourite band. Green Day has always been my first love; listening to them has opened up my eyes to the kind of music that could inspire, that could change the world. Other than the Sex Pistols and the Buzzcocks, Green Day has rightfully made their name in punk rock history.

As Billie Joe would put it, "Punk rock is not about blatant violence...it's about goofing around with your friends, having a good laugh and enjoying life. It's not to be taken too seriously." Right on! I think we need less of that whole 'I'M PATHETIC' mentality that has been displayed by most

'POP PUNK' bands. You want me to drop names? Forever the Sickest Kids, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, that other band that sang something to do with burning candles and had some relation to The Hills, etc.

Green Day is one of the few bands that could me smile like a maniac and hyperventilate at the same time. Green Day's music can prove points, answer questions that you've been asking all your life. Green Day is, on so many levels, one of the few bands that we have left that did not succumb to any social principles or rules, and managed to gather their anarchy of fans around the world to stand up and take notice.

Get Ready for the 21ST CENTURY BREAKDOWN!

Meanwhile, let me introduce, ladies and gentlemen, to whet your appetite, to open your eyes to this entirely new realm of great punk rock music. Enjoy!!!!

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Dear Agony Aunt, I have a problem.

I don't understand how someone would have the guts to ask you what would you rate a person based on their physical characteristics.

Someone: Eh, Siao Lin, rate boy A.

Me: Um...I don't think he's my type.

Someone: Just rate.

Me: A three.

Someone: OMG so mean!

I just want to clarify my supposed 'rating system'. It's not that I'm acting mean, it's just that I find some guys attractive, and some...well, I can't see past the fact that our relationship had remained platonic for so long, that we are friends. I can't see that person as being physically attractive for me to want him to be my boyfriend.

I've known A for about an estimated 9 years. NINE FRICKING YEARS. I remember when I had no other friends, I would stick to A like glue because he was the closest thing I had to a friend at that time. He treated me like a friend, we talked as children, and sometimes, we would joke around. It was a very innocent friendship that remained just that. FRIENDS. I would've never thought of the guy who would borrow my things as being physically attractive.

I would've never thought of A as being anything but a friend. As we grew up, it's common for friendships like that to become stagnant; there's no bad blood between us, but there wasn't any form of progression, either. We just acknowledged the fact that we had an easygoing friendship many years back.

So, yes. I'm not mean. Just wanted you guys to know. To whichever guy that I had ever supposedly 'rated', sorry if I've offended your feelings.

Here's a problem that I find interesting; how do you differenciate between a best friend and a boyfriend? These two relations are miles apart, but can be often mistaken for the other. Some guys just remain your best friend, some just end up your boyfriend/crush. It just works that way, doesn't it? Like Newton's First Law of Motion; an object will continue to remain at rest or move in a straight line with a constant velocity unless acted upon an opposing external force.

Well, DUH.

But we can't defy it, right? The Laws of Nature Created by Finders and Scientists Whose Main Purpose In Life Is To Make Most Physics and Chemistry Students' Life As Miserable As Possible.

Took me a long time to realise the difference. I've made my mistakes; I THOUGHT I had fallen for my best guy friends so many times, it's difficult to keep track. As Grace, one of my closest friends now, had said, "When guys treat you well, you keep thinking they like you, and you end up falling for them, too. But there are just some guys who are naturally nice to everyone. Girls find it so difficult to distinguish the two."

On the other end of the spectrum, I always feel this sudden spark between me and strangers. Oh NO, Siao Lin is a crazy perv, you might say! But no, I have a perfectly solid theory to explain that sudden feeling!

It's the possibility.

It's the intrigue.

It's the mystery.

It's always a big 'what if' when it comes to strangers. What if he started a conversation with you? What if you asked for his number (I would've have the guts to do that), what if he introduced himself? What if he was one of your brother's best friends?

The possibility is endless with them, and that idea has tempted me. I could be sitting next to the guy that I had not known before, but yet, the feeling is there. The curiosity lurking at the back of your mind, waiting to strike, that connection you made with him, despite not knowing the background of this particular person.

I'm feeling particularly philosophical today. Can you tell???

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Miscellaneous.

I could almost hear the tweenies screaming in glee. David Archuleta is doing a promo tour in Malaysia! In Sunway Pyramid. Omg talk about being cheapskate; could've held it in Stadium Bukit Jalil, right?! If I wasn't mistaken, he's coming on the 12th of April to the 16th, performing in Sunway Lagoon's Ampitheatre. Oooh, four days' worth of stalking Archie right there.

I want to win those fricking passes. BAD. Even though I was in the Johns camp (always will), but I still like the guy. Nice, sweet and adorable. Like enthusiastic puppies wagging their tails under the shady tree. Like cuddling babies and feeding them formulas from their bottles. Like digging in the sand and finding the odd seashell. Like...you get the picture.

But I would most probably get trampled on by a stampede of screeching, crying, screaming teenyboppers who cry at the sight of their idol. It's mayhem watching girls, aged 9-14 with their home made t-shirts with Archie's lopsided head on the front. It's ridiculous, yet it's soooo funny.

****

Just came back for Physics tuition. As I am blogging (and listening to my bitch, Adam Lambert), I'm typing the notes that I got from my tuition teacher. Sometimes I feel like I just get so jaded by the whole thing; have to remember how does acceleration works, how lifts and weights influence an aeroplane...technical things just frustrate me. It's all facts and calculations, that just rips me to tiny, bite-sized pieces. I'm like, 'FAIL LAH MACAM MANA INI BOLEH HAPPEN ALAMAK CELAKA SHIT SHIT AIYO KENAPA BODOH SANGAT!!!!!!????' every single time I'm faced with a speedbump of a question.

They say, you either have it, or you don't. It's so fricking obvious I don't. Not in Physics anyway.

It's not that I don't try, cause I really do. I try, and try and I cry AS I try. It's all that ticker tape, ticker timer (try saying that fast 3 times) shit that people claim is so fun. You call dots on carbonised paper fun? Playing Playstation is fun. Spray painting your neighbour's house is fun. But ticker timer? Puh-lease.

***

I've got a lot of things to vent about today. What the HELL happened to English teachers lately? Has the standards fallen to an extent whereby the students could easily correct gramatical mistakes made by the supposed teachers that have been brought in?This was part of our conversation during today's assembly (where nobody listens):

Sonia: Just looking at the standards of most of our teachers, even I can be a teacher.

Siao Lin: Nah, maybe a lecturer.

Wei Li: No, I elect you as the a member of the Ministry of English.

Siao Lin: Awesome, there's a ministry for it!

Sonia: *laughs* they'd be like, 5 presidents posts! Whatever it is, I want to be in charge of food.

Wei Li: Minister of food and english? Is that possible?

Siao Lin: No...wait....

*2 minutes of deliberation and tumbling on our words*

Sonia: Wait, The Minister of Food and English Affairs!

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'Tracks of my Tears'

Tell me this is not one of the best performances on Idol. Come on. COME ON.

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