For years, Green Day were on the periphery of my musical consciousness. Of course, I knew who they were, I could play that Seinfeld song (badly) on my acoustic guitar, and I didn't turn them off whenever they came onto the radio. However, given their contemporaries, like The Offspring, who were noted for stupid insipid pop-punk, I'd largely written them off as a band for kids, and not a band worth taking seriously as artists.

As "American Idiot" has shown me though, I was utterly, utterly wrong. It's rare that the ethos of accessible pop music, anti-establishment punk rock, and high art come together so flawlessly, but Green Day have for the most part pulled it off, and pulled it off well. Their music is still decidedly suburban and middle-class, but they manage to wield that brattishness like a scalpel in the construction of what is at its core a very cutting piece of political commentary.

Interestingly, rather than following the lead of Bad Religion, who's recent album followed similar themes but descended into a muddled mess of political songs without any hooks to back them up, Green Day have opted to take the rock opera route. It's an unusual move, since the rock opera is usually associated with bands like Pink Floyd and Queen, not suburban punk bands who's first hit was essentially a song about masturbation. Not only has the band accomplished it, but they've managed to construct a narrative that is not only interesting to listen to, but is relevant and cohesive.

Songs like Letterbomb display the sort of rousing noise and energy that originally got the public to pay attention to the band. Combining a keen sense of melody, some delightfully rough hooks, and intense vocals courtesy of Billie Joe Armstrong, it really hits the spot. She's A Rebel is another winning song in a similar vein, which doesn't try to do too much, and concentrates on just being a fast, brutal piece of music. Extraordinary Girl, on the other hand, has this weird retro-vibe, and while it doesn't quite sound like the band are emulating The Strokes, it shows that the band certainly know how to blend different influences into their patchwork of styles.

The most interesting and ambitious pieces on the record though, are the two extended set-pieces, entitled Jesus of Suburbia and Homecoming. Like any good prog-rock track, they all extend towards the ten minute mark, and consist of a number of distinct segments, all of which blend in to create a whole that it greater than the sum of its parts. It's not something that looks like it'd work on paper, but the nervous energy and paranoia that pervade the pieces, coupled with the excellent execution by the band, make them work brilliantly.

I didn't expect that one of my favourite albums of the year would be by Green Day, but I was very pleasantly surprised by this album. It's good enough hooks and accessibility to appeal to fans who just want to rock out, but it's also literate and intelligent enough to be of interest to listeners who want just that little bit more sophistication from their music. Given the ambition and growth that's been shown here, the sky is the limit for this band, and you can be assured that I'll be waiting for their next release with baited breath.