The truth is that Dookie’s success made Green Day something very different from what they were in 1991. By 1995, the band were officially rock stars, musicians speaking to all listeners, everywhere. There’s nothing wrong with that, and the band have certainly handled it extremely well, writing the kinds of big, immortal hits one wants from those kinds of artists. But Kerplunk! is our last view into Green Day’s awkward stages, a glimpse into the hearts of a band content to jangle through a handful of emotionally-complicated confessions (well, and Dominated Love Slave, but sometimes you need a redneck fetish anthem in there, too).
So, Kerplunk!, we salute you. From one musical institution named after a sound* to another, happy birthday. Thanks you for being the ultimate album to listen to while staring out the window on long train trips as scenery passes by.
*With an exclamation point at the end, no less!