Against Me! Albums (6)
What The Critics Say
There is a legion of Against Me! fans who want only for the band's music to sound exactly as it did on Reinventing Axl Rose -- scrappy punk/folk and nothing else. But with as talented a songwriter as Tom Gabel leading the way, it's ridiculous to think that the band would be satisfied complying. Growth is necessary; change is inevitable. In the case of New Wave, different doesn't automatically mean bad. As their first album on major label Sire, it's a straight-up rock record. Especially thanks to Butch Vig in the production seat, New Wave is crisp, direct, and sharp. It's clean, but not glossy; it's defiant; it's brash; it's heartfelt. And while it's true that New Wave doesn't initially hit with the same force as prior albums, a few spins later and the record has found its footing and sinks in brilliantly. Though the sound is not raw and gritty like those early days, the passion behind the songs is the exact same. There is a real sense of frustration guiding these tracks -- with society, with the music scene -- but as the title track incites, "We can be the bands we wanna hear/We can define our own generation," Against Me! shows resilience. The catchy bounce-step of songs like "Up the Cuts" and "Stop!" (one of their danciest numbers yet) recognizes the hollowness of fame and hype, and the former's probing "Are you restless like me?" is as urgent a plea as you'll hear on record this year. Lead single "White People for Peace" brilliantly acknowledges both the need for and futility of protest songs, one of many instances that prove that despite sonic changes, Gabel's tongue has only sharpened. Overall, the concise ten-song set is the most direct batch of songs Against Me! has written thus far, yet the band constantly mixes things up, as in the meditative closer, "The Ocean," the dark, fuzzed-out anti-romanticism of "Animal," and the realization of love faded in the arresting duet between Gabel and Tegan Quin (of Tegan and Sara) in "Borne on the FM Waves of the Heart." New Wave is over way too soon, but the vitality rippling through every barked word is electric and makes up for all left behind on the cutting room floor. It just means you can press repeat that much sooner. Signing to Sire didn't make the band sellouts -- especially not when the music is still delivered with as much steadfast conviction and genuine emotion as it is. Who knows where they'll go next, but as for the 2000s, Against Me! remains one of the most exciting and significant bands operating in punk. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide
'Americans Abroad!!! Against Me!!! Live in London!!!'
Release Date 5/30/2006
Tracks 18
Label Fat Wreck Chords
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
In 2001, Against Me!'s lineup eventually settled down, seemingly for good, at which point the band sprung into motion and haven't sat down since. A deal with Fat Wreck Chords brought forth three excellent studio albums, which the group somehow found time to churn out between never-ending tours. That interminable gigging has kept Against Me! sharp, so much so that their first two Fat Wreck full-lengths were so riddled with energy they almost sounded as if they were recorded live. They weren't. But Americans Abroad!!! Against Me!!! Live in London!!! was, capturing the band on-stage at the Mean Fiddler in England's capitol in early 2006. The title track is a new song, a storming hardcore number that deals with the discomfort of U.S. tourists hoping not to come across as typical Ugly Americans. The rest of Americans Abroad!!! Against Me!!! Live in London!!! draws liberally from all three of the band's albums, kicking off appropriately enough with "A Brief Yet Triumphant Introduction." Most fan faves are probably here, thus allowing the set to double as a best-of collection, and more easily than most, for other than the audience shouts and singalongs, there's little difference between the live and studio versions of songs. Still, the numbers here have a bit more kick, the energy even more exhilarating, and the exuberant crowd adds their own punch to the set. This was one hell of a show, just one of a 1,000 or so the band have played over the last few years, and if you've never seen them live, or just want to relive the occasion, check out the bonus video. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide
'Searching for a Former Clarity'
Release Date 9/6/2005
Tracks 14
Label Fat Wreck Chords
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Against Me! is a band closely tied to their independent and underground roots, yet after the attention paid to 2003's As the Eternal Cowboy, they found themselves teetering on the edge of the mainstream spotlight -- and dealing with the possibility of signing with a major label. Perhaps reflecting this situation, Searching for a Former Clarity finds Against Me! issuing their most introspective album to date. In both subject matter and song composition, they expand upon elements of previous releases without being afraid to veer away from expectations -- the lively opener "Miami," after all, features a horn section. The band has always slightly defied genre classification, and this disc further proves they can run the stylistic gamut and barely miss a step -- from the weary rock-bottom mosey of "How Low" to the stylish, dancey -- though somewhat annoying chorus of -- "Unprotected Sex with Multiple Partners." Along with biting lyrics commenting on the current climate of both the political and punk scenes, this disc explores the band's softer and more intimate side further. For every sarcastic "we took the movement to the market...we totally sold out the scene" ("Mediocrity Gets You Pears"), there's the acoustic, content stirrings of "Joy," and the soothing, somber drumbeats of the AIDS-oriented title track. Bush-era frustrations fuel energetic songs like the guitar-driven, tongue-in-cheek tune titled "From Her Lips to God's Ears," whose taunting chorus asserts "Condoleeza, what are we gonna do now?" On the whole, the album may be a bit more sober and resentful than previous efforts, but the passion, energy, and urgency Against Me! is known for is no less present. Instead, Searching for a Former Clarity is a more developed effort that is not only one of the best punk releases of 2005, but further establishes the band's growing importance within the punk scene. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide
'As the Eternal Cowboy'
Release Date 11/4/2003
Tracks 11
Label Fat Wreck Chords
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Though not without the hallmarks of Fat Wreck Chords punk, Against Me!'s As the Eternal Cowboy marks a giant leap forward for the label by combining poppy punk rock with leftist politics, Billy Bragg's raspy anti-folk, and the Replacements' beer-soaked version of Americana. The Gainesville, FL, outfit may have embraced a slightly slicker production than with its fan favorite, Reinventing Axl Rose, but no matter how you stack it, As the Eternal Cowboy is an accomplished record of country-folk-punk that would only qualify as over-polished by the most hard-lined, anti-bar code punk kids' criteria. From the opening swampy croon and (decidedly un-swampy) Elvis -- that's Costello not Presley -- rant of "T.S.R." to the sleepy country ballad "Sink, Florida, Sink," Against Me! is inventive and strikingly emotional compared to its contemporaries, and uses its influences brilliantly without sounding derivative. The album's main weakness is that at under 30 minutes, it comes and goes before you know it. But if the Pogues of the South sounds of "Cliché Guevara" and "You Look Like I Need a Drink" are any indication, the band will put out its rambling, shambling slow album one day. At its best, As the Eternal Cowboy is one of the few early-2000s punk albums that transcends its genre and has the rock & roll clout to storm the mainstream. ~ Charles Spano, All Music Guide
'Against Me! Is Reinventing Axl Rose'
Release Date 3/19/2002
Tracks 11
Label No Idea
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Against Me!'s Reinventing Axl Rose is an impressive debut that manages to combine fist-in-the-air singalong choruses, lagered-up rhythms, and urgent drumbeats with the underground, raw intensity these punks are known for live. It's a dynamic record that not only stands firm in its own right, but also hints at a propensity for songwriting in Tom Gabel -- the group's hoarse, politically conscious singer/songwriter -- just starting to be fully realized. From the rowdy, country-influenced drinking anthem "Pints of Guinness Make You Strong," to the somber closing notes of "8 Full Hours of Sleep," Against Me! performs every track with the passion of those who truly believe a song among friends can start a movement for change. The band's leftist political agenda is often offset by empowering social lyrics boasting sentiments of unity, individualism, and self-awareness. Tracks like the lively and rebellious "Those Anarcho Punks Are Mysterious..." declare that "We rock/Because it's us against them/We've found our own reasons to sing," while the album's title track urgently professes, "Everyone would leave with the memory that there was no place else in the world and this was where they always belonged." Often deviating from the standard punk musical blueprint, Against Me!'s blend of energetic folk/punk rock is nothing short of refreshing and engaging. Reinventing Axl Rose is a true classic that brings listeners right into the dirty basements and dive bars that birthed the band -- and serves as the foundation to where they would head next. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide
