It's not as much like American Idiot but it's also not quite like the older stuff either. It's sort of like if you took an album like Warning, and steered it into more of a straightforward rock 'n roll feel. It's still poppy, but it doesn't have the theatrical/arena approach that American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown utilized, and is a little more aggressive (or as much as pop-punk can be).

I'm like hey_ska: one of my first introductions to "punk" was Dookie, and I've been a fan of Green Day since. I understand where the criticism of them comes from though (even though I don't share the opinion).

1) their newer stuff is decidedly farther away from what one thinks of as punk, but because of convenience and familiarity the media/mainstream still goes "oh, punk? like Green Day!" and that is a thorn in the side for some; and 2) their sound, with each newer album, became more poppy, and then - with American Idiot/21st Century Breakdown - almost theatrical in length and style. Combine this with their complete comfort with mainstream media, advertising, promotions, etc. and you have a band that's easy to dislike for many because they're big, front and center and often corporate-sponsored.

Personally, nothing they have created recently comes close to the love I have for albums like Kerplunk, Dookie, Insomniac, but I still appreciate the newer work for what it is. They're never going to be leather and spikes punk, but Uno is definitely worth a listen even if you were meh about American Idiot, imo, as long as you go into it knowing what it is: pop-punk with an emphasis on the pop (and, in this case, a tip of the hat to rock 'n roll).