Green Day Nimrod (Vinyl 2LP) * * *

After establishing themselves as the leaders of a new generation with their first two major label releases, Green Day began to experiment more in the studio on their highly anticipated third Reprise effort, Nimrod. Not only does the band show a willingness to stretch the boundaries of their fast and fetching punk-rock blueprint here but they also offer glimpses of the songwriting ambition that would propel them back onto the world's stage with their smash punk-rock opera American Idiot. The omnipresent acoustic ballad "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)," became the album's biggest hit and has even enjoyed a second life as the eternal soundtrack of nostalgia. The song was featured on the finales of several high profile television series, most notably Seinfeld.