Rabu, 06 Mei 2009

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Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta Shine On 'American Idol' Rock Night

Posted: 05 May 2009 07:33 AM PDT

Resident rockers join forces for a duet, as do Danny Gokey and Kris Allen.
By Gil Kaufman


Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta on "American Idol" on Tuesday
Photo: R. Mickshaw/Getty Images/ Fox

When it gets down to the top four on "American Idol," there is no need to add any extra drama to the equation. But, just hours before Danny Gokey, Allison Iraheta, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert took the stage for Tuesday night's (April 5) rock-themed show, the program's stage manager, Debbie Williams, was rushed to the hospital after tumbling down the iconic center stairs, and the studio was evacuated when a set piece collapsed and sent glass flying everywhere.

The result? The top four didn't a get a chance for a proper run-through of their songs, but as Seacrest said at the top of the program, "The show must go on," and, frankly, they didn't sound any worse for the wear as the show added yet another twist to this unconventional season: duets. (Check out Jim Cantiello's "American Idol" live blog for a minute-by-minute take on the show.)

With guest mentor Slash, the iconic guitarist for Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver, in the house, the remaining quartet got their pep talks this week at legendary Los Angeles rock club the Roxy.

First up was this year's resident male rocker, Lambert, who bit off a huge chunk of rock history by choosing Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love." Promising to "kill it," Lambert took the stage in a studded black leather jacket and black jeans and his signature sneer, slinking back and forth as he unleashed a series of bluesy falsetto wails, ending with a gut-busting high note that drew a standing ovation.

"This is the Adam that I love, dude. ... Nobody's gonna ever think about Broadway or any of that stuff. You are a rock star tonight," Randy Jackson enthused about the first-ever performance of a Zeppelin song on the show. Kara DioGuardi took it a step further, saying, "You are more than a rock star, you are a rock god," suggesting he should make an album that mixes classic '70s rock with glam rock and Nine Inch Nails. "It's your lane — kill it!" she screamed.

Paula Abdul called him a "whole lotta perfect," and Simon Cowell joked that the performance was a bit understated, noting that taking on one of the best rock songs of all time could have been a disaster, but instead it was one of his favorite performances from Lambert so far and one unlikely to be topped.

Allison Iraheta, the season's other rocker, chose a song that perfectly fit what Slash called her "natural rock-and-roll mannerism and swagger": Janis Joplin's "Cry Baby." With a multi-layered, fire-engine red, 1980s hair-metal hairdo, courtesy of Lambert's stylist, Iraheta fell immediately into the pocket, tapping into the late blues belter's underlying pain and grit, serving up aching verses and then exploding with a soulful wail on the chorus.

Jackson didn't love the song choice, saying it didn't show off the 17-year-old singer's formidable range, while Kara said it was the right choice of artist, though she might have picked a different Joplin song. Noting that Iraheta has been knocked for a perceived lack of personality while performing, Kara said she saw the teen's personality shine through as Abdul called her "downright fearless" and suggested that if the long-gestating Joplin biopic ever gets made, Iraheta should be the star. Cowell said Iraheta had shown "staggering" growth over the past eight weeks and praised her confidence, while dissing her for sounding too much like the original.

Next came the first duet segment in the finals, which awkwardly paired Gokey and Allen on a cover of Styx's "Renegade." The two, whose grit-and-glass voices sounded smooth together at first, traded off lines during the verses, with Allen showing a bit more of an edge than he's previously displayed and Gokey singing over him during the choruses.

"I really like the harmonies. I think you guys complement each other greatly with that song," Randy said, noting that the individual vocals were not as strong. Kara thought it was funny that "the guys that help the little women cross the street" were singing a song called "Renegade," but she said, "The sum of the parts was better," suggesting that maybe they couldn't hear their own vocals at times, which led to some pitchiness. Paula had no such complaints, calling their duet "powerful" and "compelling," though Simon seemed unimpressed, nonchalantly saying, "Danny, you were better than Kris."

Allen got a chance to shine alone next, and, like Lambert, he went for the big score, choosing "Come Together" by the Beatles. He got to borrow one of Slash's guitars during the mentoring session, admitting he almost "peed his pants" at the chance. Strumming one of his own on the show, Allen added his blue-eyed soul to the heavy Fab Four rocker, showing a bit more attitude.

Randy appreciated that Allen was able to still be himself in a genre he isn't known for, even if the vocals weren't great, but professed to being blown away by Allen's guitar playing. Kara wasn't as convinced, saying she appreciated that the soft rocker tried to bring a harder edge but "for me, this was not a great performance. ... It was trying too hard. It wasn't the best song." Simon said bluntly, "I didn't like it that much. It was rather like eating ice for lunch, which is it will leave you with nothing to remember afterwards." Simon also called it a safe, boring "jam," which, as he predicted, did not top Lambert.

The final solo performance came from Gokey, who chose Aerosmith's legendary AM radio classic "Dream On." Known for his gospel-tinged crooning, Gokey appeared to struggle to add some grit to his voice at first but then settled into a powerful blues delivery, appearing to run out of steam for the iconic scream at the end, which sounded strained and awkward.

The judges were mixed, with Randy giving him an A-plus for effort in a genre that is not his strong suit, though Kara wondered if Gokey took previous comments about his lack of swagger too seriously and maybe pushed things a little too far this week.

Paula is still a huge fan but wasn't feeling the song choice, and Simon agreed with the other three that Gokey took some chances. "But the last note, it was like watching a horror movie," he said. "It was actually a little over-the-top, where I think with Adam it kind of worked; with you, it didn't work so much."

Despite all that, Cowell predicted that Gokey would be safe.

The show ended with the night's second duet: Iraheta and Lambert taking on Foghat's greasy 1975 rocker "Slowride." With Iraheta singing in her chesty lower register and Lambert complementing her with his high squeal (and some seriously tight striped pants), the pair looked and sounded very comfortable singing together. They each worked the audience individually but made time to lock eyes occasionally and ended the song with their faces just a few feet apart as they held a big note and shared a warm hug.

"You guys are our two seasoned rock stars," Randy enthused, saying they should do a duet on their respective albums. Kara called them a rock god and goddess and praised the pair for pushing one another to be better, while Simon declared them the unequivocal winners of the duet-off. "Completely different than the other one, and actually, Adam, you may have given this one a chance to stay in the competition because of that."

Wednesday night's results show will feature performances from "Idol" finalist Chris Daughtry, No Doubt and the debut of judge Abdul's new single, "I'm Just Here for the Music."

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Lady Gaga Says Kanye West Saw Past Her 'Poker Face'

Posted: 06 May 2009 04:51 AM PDT

'It was, like, really exciting that he had so much insight into what the song was about,' she tells Mixtape Daily.


Lady Gaga
Photo: MTV News

It's official, people. Mixtape Daily is here. That's right, daily. Mixtape Monday had a phenomenal run. For over six years, the weekly segment became an institution. Every week, it was your one-stop shop for everything related to the streets. But we promised you bigger and better things in 2009, and we're men of our word. We're going to keep bringing you all the exclusives and insight you've come to expect. We're just expanding and refocusing.

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During a recent video shoot, Lady Gaga looked more like something out of a punk-rock version of "Alice in Wonderland" than a woman who some are calling this year's M.I.A. — you know, the girl you wouldn't necessarily expect rap dudes to cling to but they're loving her and her music nonetheless.

While "Poker Face" isn't a record you'd expect to hear bumping in the 'hood, it's been pretty popular with some MCs. Chamillionaire made his own unofficial remix, while Kid Cudi, Common and Kanye West jacked Gaga's vocals from an acoustic version of "Poker Face" to make their posse cut.

Gaga hollered at us in Connecticut while filming the video for Wale's "Chillin'." She gave big-ups to Kanye and his fellas for their remix.

"It's funny, because a lot of my fans were like, 'Gaga, Kanye wrote a song ... and it's not about what your record's about. Your record is about gambling. And this song is about dirty sex things,' " she says.

Hold up, fans. You gotta go deeper into the meaning. Stef — that's right, we called her Stef — says Kanye broke her musical Da Vinci Code.

"I said to them, 'You're wrong. Kanye was right,' " she laughed. "That's exactly what this song is about. The record is about how I used to fantasize about women when I was with my boyfriend. It was, like, really exciting that he had so much insight into what the song was about. He's a cool guy."

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

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Ciara Talks <i>Fantasy Ride</i>: 'I'm Not Holding Back'

Posted: 06 May 2009 04:51 AM PDT

Singer says one thing held up the album's release: her.
By Jayson Rodriguez


Ciara
Photo: MTV News

NEW YORK — Ciara's Justin Timberlake-fueled "Love Sex Magic" latched onto the charts and helped kick-start the buzz for her third album, Fantasy Ride, which came out Tuesday. The warm-up singles "High Price" (featuring Ludacris) and "Go Girl" (featuring T-Pain) had introduced the project, but despite early reports about Fantasy Ride that made it seem like the album was in limbo, the singer insists that just one thing held up its release: her.

"With this record it seems like I had a lot of pushbacks, when I technically had one," Ciara told MTV News. "And the one pushback was to make sure I had everything in pocket to make sure I had everything where I wanted to be."

Originally, Fantasy Ride was slated to be a three-disc set, with each volume representing different sounds from the singer, including crunk, dance and more traditional R&B fare. But Ciara scrapped that idea and decided to go with a tradional album release. She recruited a number of producers such as Polow Da Don (who helmed the first single, "Never Ever"), Danja and executive producer Tricky Stewart and whittled the track list down until she settled on the 13 songs that would form the final album.

Now, the finished project is a better reflection of where the 23-year-old singer is in her life, she said.

"This go-round, there's so many more things I get into, whether it's fashion or my lyrics getting more aggressive," she explained. "I'm having a bit more fun with my lyrics. I'm not afraid. In the beginning, I was conscious and really protective and somewhat scared in reference to doing some things. With this album I'm not holding back, there's a freedom. It's just the space I'm in right now."

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Kris Allen's Friends Say 'He Was Ready' For 'American Idol'

Posted: 06 May 2009 03:51 AM PDT

'People underestimated him at first, but now I think he's really something to contend with,' one hometown pal says.
By Gil Kaufman


Kris Allen performs on "American Idol"
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images

CONWAY, Arkansas — Before Susan Boyle, there was Kris Allen.

Strip out the bit about being a middle-age spinster who's never been kissed, and you have the story of an unexpectedly powerful voice inside a shy, modest kid from a small Arkansas town who never tried to make a big deal about his impressive singing talent.

To hear Allen's best friends tell it, if they hadn't prodded the 23- year-old "American Idol" finalist to pick up his guitar and sing (and later to try out for the show), America might never have met the top-four finisher who is making an unexpected bid for the winner's circle.

JP Davenport, 24, met Allen in junior high and, sitting on a black leather couch in the spare living room of mutual friends Charles Browder and John Brunson's Conway rental home, she recalled the singer as a "nerdy" kid with a skater cut who was quiet and normal in every way. "Through the year, [I] never knew he could sing," Davenport laughed, as one of the windows across the room rattled from the thunder and pounding rain of a typical Conway spring deluge. "Nobody knew he could sing, and it was about senior year of high school. ... He didn't do talent shows. ... We were at his house one day, and his brother showed us a video of Kris."

Davenport, who roomed with Allen and his brother in college, said she was blown away by the clip, in which Allen was belting out a tune and jamming on his guitar in a way that blew her mind. " 'There's no way that's Kris!' " she recalled saying. "It got to the point where we were like, 'Kris, you gotta sing. You gotta sing in front of us!' "

That was the beginning of Allen's evolution from a bedroom crooner to a more assured singer who would flawlessly play just about any cover his friends requested and soon began performing live around Conway, released an independent CD and helped lead the rocking worship services at New Life Church in his hometown and in nearby Little Rock.

With a collection of photos of Allen with his close circle of friends looking down on him from the mantle, Browder, 25, recalled the first time he heard Allen sing, a performance that convinced him his friend was more than just a musical dabbler. "It was in his pajamas at his house and [we asked him] to play Justin Timberlake," Browder said. "And he's got a guitar, and he's like, 'You can't play Justin Timberlake with a guitar!' "

But Allen proved himself wrong, setting the stage for the creative reinterpretations his friend has been busting out on the show over the past few weeks that have impressed the judges and gotten him into contention. "The first time I saw him perform in front of people ... was at a venue in Little Rock," added Browder, who recently flew out to Hollywood to watch Allen perform on the show. "People were just like, 'This big voice coming out of this tiny little man.' [It was] like a cartoon or something."

Though he was constantly amazed by his friend's vocals while singing everything from Britney Spears to Radiohead, Browder admitted that when he heard Allen was trying out for "Idol," he didn't think it was the right call. Browder said Allen's humble, shy personality didn't seem to fit the harsh glow of the "Idol" spotlight.

"Through the years, we'd always be like, 'Kris, go do "American Idol," ' and he's like, 'No that's not for me, that's not something I would want to do,' " Davenport said. But then, last year, Allen's older brother Daniel, also a singer, decided to try out and convinced Kris to come along. "I think that he just felt like this time, he was ready. He had it all. He could write songs, he could play all the instruments ... I think he felt like he could do it."

Given how low-key he is in real life, Allen struggled in the early stages of the competition to establish his personality, drawing complaints from judge Simon Cowell that he didn't have enough star quality to win the competition. But Brunson, 22, said the fact that Allen is not as over-the-top dramatic as Adam Lambert or Allison Iraheta and does not have as complex a backstory as Danny Gokey might end up being a bonus in the end.

"When he first got on the show and everybody was like, 'Oh, you don't have the personality for this' ... it was making me mad, because why does that stuff matter?" his former roommate said on the eve of last week's massive hometown gathering in a nearby college basketball arena to vote for Allen. "He's not the most dramatic person in real life. He's not some superstar to come out of Arkansas. He's normal, and I think that's an appeal to America and to the rest of us, is the fact that he is normal. People underestimated him at first, but now I think he's really something to contend with. The further along the show goes, I think the more people are realizing that, and the more his popularity is growing."

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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'American Idol' Rehearsal Canceled After Injury, Raining Glass

Posted: 05 May 2009 05:56 AM PDT

Stage manager was rushed to the hospital following a mishap on the staircase.
By Gil Kaufman


Slash with "American Idol" contestants Kris Allen, Danny Gokey, Allison Iraheta and Adam Lambert
Photo: M Becker/American Idol

As if performance night for the "American Idol" top four weren't dramatic enough, just hours before Adam Lambert, Kris Allen, Danny Gokey and Allison Iraheta took the stage in Los Angeles, TMZ reported that stage manager Debbie Williams was injured in a mishap on the show's giant staircase during dress rehearsal.

The staircase, which is supposed to retract as host Ryan Seacrest walks down it, reportedly folded too soon on Tuesday afternoon (May 5), and Williams, who was following Seacrest, tried to hold on but instead tumbled down the stairs. She suffered what was described as a "nasty gash" on her leg and was taken to a local hospital.

"We have had an unconventional day," Seacrest said at the top of Tuesday night's show. "Had a couple of things happen here on this set. Unfortunately we had an accident earlier here on our stage, but it didn't end there."

In addition to the mishap that befell Williams, Seacrest pointed to the two giant globe-like "Idol" logos that flank the stage, one of which was hanging nearly upside down. He said it "collapsed" just a few moments before that afternoon's dress rehearsal, sending shards of glass all over the stage, with TMZ reporting that the studio was cleared as a mild panic ensued. "So the contestants have not had a proper run-through for the show," he said. "But as they say in Hollywood, the show must go on."

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Lady Gaga 'Humbled' By Madonna Coming To Her Show

Posted: 05 May 2009 09:35 AM PDT

Queen of Pop brought daughter Lourdes to singer's New York concert.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Tim Kash


Lady Gaga
Photo: MTV News

If you think that Lady Gaga has gotten used to being a pop superstar, think again. No one was as surprised as the New York City native herself to see that the Queen of Pop, Madonna, took some time out of her busy schedule to catch the "Poker Face" singer's show at New York's Terminal 5 on Saturday.

"I was very humbled that Madonna came to the show," Gaga told MTV News on Monday. "And I had been hearing all week that she was going to come, and I was like, 'Oh, OK,' and I didn't want to talk about it or tell anyone 'cause I thought it was kind that she would want to come at all."

What made it even more surprising for Gaga was that she didn't think Madonna had any idea who she was, despite her hit songs and performance on "American Idol" earlier this season. But what really pleased the singer was seeing that Madge made her concert a family night.

"I was really excited to see that [Madonna's daughter] Lourdes was there, and that made me really happy 'cause during the show I noticed some beautiful spirit of a girl dancing," she recalled. "And I didn't know who it was and I just kept waving to her."

It wasn't until the set was over that she learned that the girl was Madonna's daughter. "Then when the show was over, I said, 'Oh, there's this sweet, young girl up there, and she was dancing her pants off.' And someone said, 'Lourdes had green pants on.' And I was like, 'Oh my God, it was Lourdes and she was dancing.' It really got me going. [Madonna's] a good mom, so it's nice."

Gaga will also be happy to hear that the legendary singer slipped out unnoticed. "I was hoping and praying she would get out safely," she said. "If she got spotted she would have been trampled like the queen she is."

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Paula Abdul On Painkiller Addiction: 'I Could Have Killed Myself'

Posted: 04 May 2009 11:39 PM PDT

'I tried to keep everything hush-hush,' the 'American Idol' judge says of carrying on like nothing was wrong.
By Eric Ditzian


Paula Abdul
Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

After years of public speculation, Paula Abdul has revealed that she suffered for years from a reliance on pain medication — a habit that left her close to death and in a rehabilitation facility.

The "American Idol" judge disclosed her ordeal in an interview with Ladies' Home Journal. "I could have killed myself," the 46-year-old Abdul told the magazine.

She has suffered from chronic pain since a high school cheerleading accident left her with an injured disc in her neck and has since experienced injuries like a broken leg, sustained while rehearsing in 1991; a neck injury in a 1992 car crash; and partial paralysis in a 1993 airplane crash that required 15 spinal surgeries. To continue performing through a hectic schedule, Abdul relied on prescription painkillers, injections of lidocaine and Chinese medicine.

"I couldn't cancel my tour. I didn't want anyone to count me out," she said. "I tried to keep everything hush-hush."

Several years ago, Abdul was diagnosed with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome, a chronic neurological condition characterized by severe burning pain and tissue swelling. The disorder also caused teeth-chattering and skin lesions for Abdul.

The "Idol" judge wore a patch that delivered a dose of medication approximately 80 times more powerful than morphine, took a nerve medication to relieve her symptoms and occasionally used a muscle relaxer. But the pain became so severe that it disrupted her sleep and left her acting "weird," Abdul admitted, an acknowledgement of the sometimes-bizarre behavior she displayed on the "American Idol" set.

In a 2005 interview, Abdul claimed she was not hooked on pain medication. "Drugs?" she said to People magazine. "I'm not addicted to pills of any kind." But last fall, Abdul finally checked into the La Costa Resort & Spa, a rehab facility in Carlsbad, California.

"I could have killed myself," Abdul told Ladies' Home Journal. "Withdrawal — it's the worst thing. I was freezing cold, then sweating hot, then chattering and in so much pain. It was excruciating. But at my very core, I did not like existing the way I had been."

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Taylor Swift Hooks Up With Lucas Till In 'You Belong With Me' Video

Posted: 05 May 2009 03:36 AM PDT

'Hannah Montana: The Movie' co-star plays Swift's love interest.
By Jocelyn Vena


Taylor Swift on the set of 'You Belong With Me'
Photo: MTV News

In her new music video, "You Belong With Me," Taylor Swift sets out to prove that the dorky, nice girl will always win in the game of love against the pretty, sexy cheerleader. Of course, it doesn't hurt when you get to play both roles and both those roles are fighting over "Hannah Montana: The Movie" hottie Lucas Till.

"[He] plays my love interest in the video, and he does such a great job," Swift said about working with the up-and-coming actor. "He's absolutely perfect for the part and really fun to be around, too."

In the video — the song is from her chart-topping Fearless LP — Till plays not only her hunky next door neighbor, but also a football player. The video was shot at the Pope John Paul II High School in Hendersonville, Tennessee, where Swift lives and her younger brother goes to school. "It's been a really fun two days to shoot this video," she added. "[Till] was recently in the 'Hannah Montana' movie and I met him about a year back and just kind of reached out and was like, 'Hey, want to be in the video?' And he accepted and I'm just really happy to have him in the video."

The video's plot, which Swift describes as "charming," finds the singer reveling in the roles of playing "the popular girl" and "the nerd, who is pining away for this guy that she can't have." Not to ruin it for anyone, but the nerd wins out.

"This song is basically about wanting someone who is with this girl who doesn't appreciate him at all," Swift said. "Basically like 'girl-next-door-itis.' You like this guy who you have for your whole life, and you know him better than she does but somehow the popular girl gets the guy every time."

Well, Taylor, not this time.

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Green Day Album Preview: Breaking Down <i>21st Century Breakdown</i>

Posted: 06 May 2009 03:51 AM PDT

American Idiot is followed up by an album about nothing ... and everything, in Bigger Than the Sound.
By James Montgomery


<i>21st Century Breakdown</i>
Photo: Reprise Records

To contextualize is to criticize, that much is certain. And no album released this decade has been contextualized quite as much as Green Day's American Idiot, a fierce and fiery punk opera that (so the rhetoric generally goes) summed up the fears and frustrations of a nation — and a world — living in the dog days of George W. Bush.

This may or may not actually be the case (though it probably is), and it might not be fair (though, again, it probably is), but like it or not, Idiot has come to be identified with a moment in time — and a generally awful and hopeless one at that. It is impossible to listen to it or write about it and not hearken back to stuff like "Mission Accomplished" and "WMDs" and "Threat Level: Orange."

This is the way these things happen. Art is not created, nor does it exist, in a vacuum, and so, we contextualize. We cannot help it.

So if we accept the inevitable, how, then, do we contextualize Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown, the album that draws the unenviable task of following the globe-uniting, career-reviving American Idiot? It is certainly every bit as angry and inspired as its predecessor — if not, in some cases, more so — full of manic swings in tempo and mood, big, windmilled guitars, stomping drums, whomping bass, arena-filling crescendos, some strings and even a piano ballad or two. It is ambitious and challenging almost to a fault (the third act does lag a bit), packed with emotions and characters that contradict one another at every turn. And perhaps, therein lies the context.

Because 21st Century Breakdown doesn't really have a plot, which is fine, because it's not supposed to. In theory, Billie Joe Armstrong's lyrics tell the story of two characters (evil, nihilistic Christian and sweet, sentimental Gloria) on a zig-zagging trek through this young century. Only, you know, the characters might not actually be real — more like the Punch and Judy act slugging it out inside Armstrong's brain — and their trek might actually be of the metaphoric variety. And none of this may or may not actually be happening right now.

For every step forward, there is one back. For every point, a counter. Big, nasty "burn it to the ground" tunes like "Christian's Inferno" are balanced by pretty, optimistic numbers like "Viva la Gloria!" Straightforward, dreamy love songs like "Last Night on Earth" and "Restless Heart Syndrome" dissolve directly into burners like "East Jesus Nowhere" or "American Eulogy." And for an album about the 21st century, there sure is a whole lot of old-timey radio static to be heard throughout.

And taking all that contradiction into consideration, you arrive at one very interesting thought: 21st Century Breakdown just might be the most brilliant, spot-on summation of a decade you'll ever hear. Say what you will about the '00s, but darned if they weren't possibly the most contradictory 10 years in this nation's history. We had the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, great leaps forward and tremendous stumbles in the opposite direction. We built bridges to the future and lost cities to the past. We went from optimism to pessimism to skepticism, and now we hover somewhere in between all three (or perhaps even nihilism). The rich got richer, the poor poorer, and the middle seemed to all but disappear.

And 21st Century Breakdown encompasses all that: the confusion, the skepticism, the horror and the hope. That it makes no judgments is its — and Armstrong's — greatest accomplishment. Because, really, how can anyone judge the past 10 years?

Which is why, perhaps the best thing you can say about the album is that it's not American Idiot — it's better. Idiot was too easy ... the sentiments too simple, the targets not that difficult to sniff out. Breakdown is subtle and smart, an album with the brains and the wherewithal to realize that there isn't just one enemy, there are hundreds of them, and they're hiding everywhere. It catalogs the hopes and fears and the optimism and the pessimism and does not, for one second, make comment on any of them. And there's where the art lies. American Idiot was about something. 21st Century Breakdown is about everything. And nothing.

Questions? Concerns? Hit me up at BTTS@MTVStaff.com.

Allison Iraheta Sasses Simon On 'American Idol' Rock Night

Posted: 05 May 2009 05:19 AM PDT

Check out 'Idol' expert Jim Cantiello's minute-by-minute recap of the show.


Photo: Michael Becker/Getty Images/ Fox

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