Do you remember when Green Day were young and loud and took meth rather than all-in-one vitamin suppliments? I do, and it was a great time. Following on from their breakout 1994 LP, 'Dookie' was never going to be easy, having amassed a ton of new fans and lost a few that didn't like their new, clean-cut major label outlook (it's just a bit of compression guys, give it a rest), 1995's 'Insomniac' was possibly not quite what people expected.
Expectations or not though, Insomniac couldn't be any more representative of a band launched to the limelight, with their sound maintaining it's unique bass-heavy sound but the snarling world-weary subject matters taking forefront. 'Geek Stink Breath' for example screaming about the downsides of methamphetamine use, much like Insomniac's arguable standout 'Brain Stew' (fun fact : the MASSIVE hit 'Time Of Your Life' from follow-up 'Nimrod' was in fact a B-side to a brain-shaped CD single that included Brain Stew, Jaded and a stripped-back acoustic strummed affair then titled just 'Good Riddance')
It's an absolutely stunning LP, and a perfect, darker flipside to Dookie's naive snarling youth.
Expectations or not though, Insomniac couldn't be any more representative of a band launched to the limelight, with their sound maintaining it's unique bass-heavy sound but the snarling world-weary subject matters taking forefront. 'Geek Stink Breath' for example screaming about the downsides of methamphetamine use, much like Insomniac's arguable standout 'Brain Stew' (fun fact : the MASSIVE hit 'Time Of Your Life' from follow-up 'Nimrod' was in fact a B-side to a brain-shaped CD single that included Brain Stew, Jaded and a stripped-back acoustic strummed affair then titled just 'Good Riddance')
It's an absolutely stunning LP, and a perfect, darker flipside to Dookie's naive snarling youth.
STAFF COMMENTS
Barry says: I know, I know, everyone prefers 'Dookie' but it just didn't have the wide-ranging breadth of sounds we get on 'Insomniac'. It's undeniably cleaner, but with changes in rhythm and drive, and it's more introspective moments it's a different pace, and a clear sign of their more nuanced sound.TRACK LISTING
1. Armatage Shanks 2:16
2. Brat 1:43
3. Stuck With Me 2:15
4. Geek Stink Breath 2:15
5. No Pride 2:19
6. Bab's Uvula Who? 2:08
7. 86 2:47
8. Panic Song 3:35
9. Stuart And The Ave. 2:03
10. Brain Stew 3:12
11. Jaded 1:30
12. Westbound Sign 2:13
13. Tight Wad Hill 2:01
14. Walking Contradiction 2:31