Album Rating: 3.5

"trashy album that focuses on one very cliched side"

Wait, are there two non-cliche'd sides to homophobia and bigotry? Please make the rational case for why homophobia and bigotry are actually okay.

Album Rating: 1.5 | Sound Off

You covered pretty much my own thoughts sowing. And I also dig the music on many of these tracks, but the lyrics and political messaging takes such a front and center stage on this that I felt it necessary to base my rating as much on it as well.

Album Rating: 3.0

"I feel like that's a valid point when it relates to genuine political disagreements like, for instance, how to approach gun control, or even *maybe*, how to regulate abortion, as long as that discussion is in good-faith.

But how does it relate to people so fundamentally disconnected that they're willing to carry Nazi flags or call the people who do "very fine people"? If 75 years of America telling itself that it's #1 because it kicked the Nazis' asses isn't enough to convince some "patriotic" Americans not to become neo-Nazis, then it's pretty fair to assume that no rock opera, no matter how good, is going to get the job done either."

In 2020, anyone who is not a neo-nazi knows racism is bad. What I think this album does is try to appeal to the lowest common denominator of entry-level liberal ideologues, in an attempt to sell albums/downloads/streams. That's really all this amounts to IMO despite how in-depth we want to go. Obviously this isn't going to bring neo-nazis to their knees in shame, but like you said, it doesn't even open the dialogue for the middle 98%, it just spouts off the hyper-obvious with what are - strictly IMO - some attempts at umbrella "white-shaming." Now, depending on your viewpoint that may or may not be irritating, and you don't have to be a nazi to let generalizations about your race/religion/sexual orientation get under your skin. Even if Walker's intentions were good (which I maintain he put no thought into this besides sales), it doesn't actually say anything at all. Again, I'm placing a lot of unrealistic expectations on a very poppy rock opera. A conservative could just as easily go and make a trite surface-level rock opera about the perceived evils of the left. It just is what it is.

Album Rating: 3.0

"That's my issue, Sowing. People purport to want to open a dialogue, but just look at this trashy album that focuses on one very cliched side and doubles down on stereotypes. And then you have people who say shit like "white man: *commits slavery and lynchings and segregation and kkk and systemic discrimination and so on*". People are adept at living in the past and perpetuating guilt and racism all the while (ironically) claiming to want to do away with it. Like, who the hell is going to have a positive response to this album's bastardized messages, or any kind of guilt-tripping."

I agree in the sense that this isn't an open dialogue, but again, I think you might be allowing yourself to get sucked in to expectations vs. reality. And plenty of people will have a positive response to this, but mainly because it's a very catchy record that reinforces some very basic and surface level virtues geared in one direction. Now, if the message is "racism is bad", then there's nothing to dispute and I'm all for that one-way message. I think where you're getting hung up is the guilt tripping, which is a shade of gray for me. At worst it's guilt-tripping over racism, which is more than acceptable, although it won't have the desired impact (as Sitar pointed out, neo-nazis won't be swayed by a shitty rock opera), and all it stands to do is anger those who will take offense by the umbrella generalizations made about all white folks being any/all combination of racist, white, cis, christian, closed-minded, etc. In the same token, it's all how you perceive it, and I think it's a bit silly to get all twisted up about a rock opera that doesn't take itself seriously on the level of sampling The Lion King.

Album Rating: 1.5 | Sound Off

I think the crux of any political record is to persuade, whther through emotion, facts, anger, etc. But it has to be honest and genuine.



I spoke about it in my review, but I compared this to American Idiot for a reason. First, Butch produced their newest record, but secondly, and most importantly, that's a powerful record that speaks truth to power but also has much more depth and artistry then Butch here slinging lyrics about people saying bigoted slurs and midwest racist sterotypes.



I guess I'm shocked that people who are more left leaning aren't holding people like Butch to higher standard and not just gobbling up the Liberals by Number rock opera. Guess I just have a higher standard and expectations for those who want to speak on important topics.

Album Rating: 3.5

"and you don't have to be a nazi to let generalizations about your race/religion/sexual orientation get under your skin."

This much is true. The album is clearly meant to offend. But on the other hand, when presented with a rational and non-shaming argument, such as the one by dmathias the response was, "Jesus Christ dmathius you're fucking brainwashed". Of course, GhostB1rd did try to respond rationally, but could not accept that he didn't know how to calculate murder rates and it quickly devolved to name-calling from there. This isn't an anomaly limited to Sputnik. This is the current state of the country.

Album Rating: 3.5

"that's a powerful record that speaks truth to power but also has much more depth and artistry"

I think you're giving American Idiot waaaaay too much credit lol.

Album Rating: 1.5 | Sound Off

Eh it's arguably the record that defined the 00's. It had a very sucessful Broadway play based on it. It had tons of sucessful singles (Blvd of Broken Dreams, Holiday, Wake Me Up when September Ends, etc.), their eyeliner image set the tone for the decade along with narrating the political climate.



I'll go toe to toe with anyone to claim, for better or worse, American Idiot is the record of the 00's. I'm not claiming it's the ebst piece of music, but it defines that decade better than anything else.

Album Rating: 3.0

I don't think Sitar is disputing its influence, just its "depth and artistry" lol. AI is one of my classics, but even I won't dispute that it's fairly shallow. Of course compared to this, it might appear insightful.

Album Rating: 3.5

^this

Album Rating: 1.5 | Sound Off

I agree, my point is that AI is a nuanced masterpiece compared to this despite it being generic and derivative, that's how lacking this is on it;s subject matter.

Album Rating: 3.5

Ha! Fair enough. Although, you know what is possibly the best concept album/rock opera ever written and isn't even thought of as a rock opera? Appetite for Destruction.

Album Rating: 1.5 | Sound Off

'YOU'RE IN THE JUNGLE BABY'

Album Rating: 3.5

Yeah, it follows a pretty similar narrative arc to AI.

Naive smalltown kid makes his way to the big city (Welcome to the Jungle); falls in with the wrong crowd and starts partying and getting in trouble with the law (It's So Easy, Nightrain, Out Ta Get Me); the partying gets out of hand (Mr Brownstone); he finds love in a very flawed person and takes stock of his situation and tries to get clean and make it work (Sweet Child My Michelle, Think About You, Paradise City); realises that his lover is still a junkie and is using him and gets disillusioned by love (You're Crazy, Anything Goes); ultimately emerges older and wiser but still hopeful (Rocket Queen).

cover looks like a default photo

Album Rating: 3.5

i'm into this, catchy stuff as always from butch

Album Rating: 3.5

This album was ahead of its time...by less than a month. Congrats 'murica!