Category:
Rock / Punk

Try if you like:
Alkaline Trio, Bad Religion, Jimmy Eat World, Rancid, Social Distortion

• Stop!

I can't figure out for the life of me why Against Me! isn't bigger. I got turned onto Tom Gabel's band back in 2003 and the release of their Fat Wreck Chords album, As The Eternal Cowboy. Now all of a sudden (only a decade into his career) he is sporting a Sire/London contract and their new album New Wave is actually getting some attention. Oh, and I should mention that producer extraordinaire Butch Vig is responsible for the crisp sound Against Me give us here. Oh, and more people are discovering Against Me. Making it into the Billboard 100 is not an easy feat.

Now imagine My Chemical Romance beat up in the back alley by Social Distortion, fight broken up by Avail. Obviously things have changed since Eternal Cowboys days but you know what, I think it works. It's polished punk with a folk side but at least it comes of honest instead of the contrived shit that is Simple Plan. I think it's honesty that sets Against Me apart from some of their contemporaries. They aren't trying to be a band that they aren't.

"Thrash Unreal" is perfect radio music. Seriously, I would much rather hear this catchy track on rock radio than the average song you hear today. They almost lost me on "Borne on the FM Waves of the Heart" but then recovered nicely closer to the end of the song. 

This is one of those albums that given about 3-5 listens and it will be permanently etched in your brain. You'll need more. I think Against Me is going to be a Green Day type story. A band who pays their dues and ends up going through the ranks of labels to become "an overnight success". Keep an eye on Against Me.