Historically, Green Day will forever be remembered for their 1994 breakout album Dookie. And for good reason – that record was a rare case of a massive success story surrounding a truly good album, and saw the band go from DIY darlings to rock megastars. But while Dookie is a genre-spanning megahit, its success rests heavily on the shoulders of the band’s 1991 sophomore effort Kerplunk!, on which Green Day streamlined their sound while keeping low-to-the-ground indie punk approach intact. The beauty of Kerplunk! lies in its embodiment of a musical movement that was still very much in its infancy. The album’s production sound seems purposefully contained, as though the band didn’t want to betray their 924 Gilman roots by embracing a fuller, more aggressive rock vibe. The songwriting remains...
