Green Day: Something for All

GREEN DAY

“Insomniac”

Reprise

* * *

It’s been only two years since Green Day released its major-label debut, “Dookie,” and was quickly deemed leader of a punk resurgence by media and marketers. But the band, complete with spiky hairdos and fake English accents, didn’t assume a mantle of importance. Instead, it continued to play its snot-nosed power pop while blatantly validating Jam and Buzzcocks comparisons.

Sure, bands like Offspring are more original, but Green Day offers something for everyone: fun cartoon music for kids, perky tunes for aerobicizers and user-friendly punk for older folks spooked by Sid Vicious the first time around.

“Insomniac” is no exception. The 14-track album is an extension of “Dookie,” complete with short, fast and addictive songs with sure-fire, sing-along choruses. Billie Joe Armstrong sings with less of a cockney tilt now, but still powers out lyrics like “I’ll just wait for Mom and Dad to die, and get my inheritance.”

If you look to Green Day for attitude-charged punk-rock, you’ll hate “Insomniac.” But if you just want the stuff that made groups like KC & the Sunshine Band great, this is your record.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (e x cellent).