Even an American Idiot could have seen this coming.

After salvaging their career with that massively successful 2004 concept album, the Bay Area pop-punks of Green Day have eagerly embraced a classic music-biz rule -- If it's worth doing, it's worth doing again -- for this eagerly anticipated followup. Pity they seem to have neglected another fundamental rule: You can have too much of a good thing.

21st Century Breakdown (in stores Friday, May 15) is too much of everything. Basically, it's AI times 10, without being 10 times as good. It's 70 minutes long, with three 23-minute acts and 18 tracks, all of which have been overwritten by Billie Joe Armstrong, overproduced by Butch Vig and overmixed by Chris Lord-Alge. There are too many ballads and too many tunes with keyboards and strings. Too many songs that follow the AI template by starting off tinny and compressed, then exploding into arena-sized anthems. Too many riffs that seem blatantly borrowed, either from other bands or from Green Day's old hits. And too many lyrics that are supposed to sound like rabble-rousing calls to revolution, but turn into laughable, sloganeering gibberish when you parse them. In short: It's the sound of three guys with too much money, too much time, too much power, too much unchecked ambition and too many sycophants telling them they're geniuses.

But here's the kicker: The darn album grows on you. Our first time through, it was interminably awful. After that, Armstrong's undeniable hooks began to take hold, while the interesting and more original cuts started to assert themselves. And yes, there are at least half a dozen cuts here that are as fresh and exciting as AI was. You just have to wade through too much self-indulgence and self-importance to get to them. Maybe they should have released this as three EPs instead of one epic disc. Or maybe they just needed a tougher producer. In any case, it likely won't matter: Only an idiot would bet against Green Day right now.

Song of the Century 0:57

Armstrong croons a dusty a cappella ditty over crackling radio static. And so it begins.

ACT I - HEROES AND CONS

21st Century Breakdown 5:08

Gently pulsing piano chords build into a midtempo arena-rocker with traces of Celtic rock and Mott the Hoople. A fairly slow start.

Know Your Enemy 3:09

The first single, complete with choppy chords and catchy oh-way-oh-way backups from bassist Mike Dirnt. The best cut so far.

Viva la Gloria! 3:29

Again with the piano -- this time joined by tympani and strings. Eventually, this turns into a crunchy pop-punker. About time.

Before the Lobotomy 4:36

Acoustic guitars at the front, a time-shifting 7/8 prog-riff nicked from Rush in the middle, then Queenish grandeur in the end. Not bad.

Christian's Inferno 3:06

A pump 'n' grind rocker with a giant chorus and some glitchy textures. Interesting.

Last Night on Earth 3:55

To call this shimmery piano ballad Lennonesque would be diplomatic. Armstrong pulls out his falsetto for the first time (but sadly, not the last).

ACT II - CHARLATANS AND SAINTS

East Jesus Nowhere 4:34

One of the best cuts, thanks to a boogie-stomp beat and twangy spaghetti-western guitars. Ironically, it has the worst lyrics: "You're a sacrificial suicide, like a dog that's been sodomized." Huh?

Peacemaker 3:23

The western theme carries over into this fast-paced flamenco-rocker. Is that an accordion? So far, Act II is shaping up well.

Last of the American Girls 3:50

With its lightly ground bass and swoopy melody, this power-pop ditty sounds like Weezer minus the wit.

Murder City 2:54

Morse-code beeps introduce hard-charging pop-punk fuelled by chugging guitars. Short and sweet.

Viva la Gloria (Little Girl) 3:47

There's jaunty cabaret piano, a bouncy two-step beat and a Gogol Bordello feeling to the whole affair. Again, interesting.

Restless Heart Syndrome 4:18

The piano and the strings -- and Armstrong's falsetto -- return for a big power-ballad. "I am my own worst enemy," sings BJ. He's got that right.

ACT III - HORSESHOES AND HANDGRENADES

Horseshoes and Handgrenades 3:13

Marching feet introduce a choppy garage-rock riff that basically rips off The Hives -- with a dash of Van Morrison's Gloria. "I'm not f--ing around," claims Armstrong. Oh yeah?

The Static Age 4:16

This one's almost surfy at times, what with the chiming guitars, pumping toms and head-bobbing beat. OK.

21 Guns 5:20

Another Queen-style power ballad, complete with grinding guitars, harmonized solos, Armstong's falsetto and a line that namedrops Live and Let Die. Really?

American Eulogy 4:25

A. Mass Hysteria

A mish-mash of Song of the Century, the pop-punk of The Dickies, more Mott -- and lyrics that include the n-word. Why?

B. Modern World

Essentially, it's Clash City Rockers with a different chorus. Come on.

See the Light 4:30

Yep, another power ballad. It climaxes with big Who-style power chords and drum fills -- then fades out on the same piano chords that open the disc. That's a nice touch.