Backstory: This Gainesville, Fla. punk band started out as a one-man acoustic jam by singer/guitarist Tom Gabel. Throughout their last three albums, Against Me! has shifted into a four-piece and upped the volume, and the harsh rhetoric, tremendously. Oddly, after spending the majority of the last record, "Searching for a Former Clarity," railing against major labels, the group decided to sign with Sire, an imprint of Warner Bros.
Why you should care: For a bunch of angry white punks, these guys have rhythm. The toe-tapping "Up the Cuts" dances between rockabilly and reggae (think Stray Cats via the Clash), while "Stop" sports a down'n'dirty, "Black Betty" vibe. Plus, Gabel may be the only singer who can turn a phrase like "protest songs in response to military aggression" into something resembling a singalong.
Verdict: Doesn't quite have the knockout single of their previous record (2005's "Don't Lose Touch"), but the mix of aggressive self-righteousness and an A-plus rhythm section shoots these guys above the mall punk crowd.
X-Factor: The melancholy indie-rocker "Borne on the FM Waves" features a duet with Tegan of Tegan & Sara.
Please log in to comment