Spring Break
Against Me! Serves Up Punk Politics On 'Searching For A Former Clarity'
Brad Tiles
Issue date: 9/8/05 Section: Focus
As one of the biggest up and coming punk acts of recent years, Gainesville, Fla.'s Against Me! are not only coming to terms with their underground success, but embracing a new attitude as well. Mixing together melodic street punk with acoustic folk and country, Against Me! continues to bring their brand of music to the masses through constant touring and overt politics. The band released their third full length album, "Searching For A Former Clarity," on punk label Fat Wreck Chords this week.
Once known for singing songs about drinking Guinness and their anarchist mentality, the band has begun writing about the highs and lows of the past two years as they take on their growing popularity. The opening track, "Miami," sets the tone for the album by starting off with a slow guitar strum and kicks into high gear, while lead vocalist and guitarist Tom Gabel goes into the state of modern music today.
"They're selling it to you as art/It's every other word in movies and songs/All the public is buying/It's business as usual and the business is capitalizing on your fear, your greed, your perversions and vices."
The band also takes aim at the Bush administration and dissatisfaction at issues being handled abroad. In "From Her Lips To God's Ears (The Energizer)," Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice is the target of abuse for her failure to bring peace and stability in Iraq. In "Justin," the point of view is put on a fictional every-day American family dealing with the death of their son Justin from fighting in Iraq.
The band does bring some of their country and folk influences to their evolving sound of punk rock. In two consecutive tracks, "How Low" and "Joy," Gabel sings of altering attitudes of his own life. In "How Low," he croons over the loneliness and repetition of his daily rituals, while in "Joy," he searches optimistically to find happiness in his world. Both songs bring to mind influence from Irish folk singer Billy Bragg and fit the perfect atmosphere of sitting in a smoky bar at two in the morning.
In the first single off the album, "Don't Lose Touch," Gabel takes on the critics, and even his own fans, who felt disenchanted by the band's success and change in sound in recent years. Nevertheless, he and his bandmates forge ahead on their own terms.
"You're coming off quite contrived and pretentious/You're not saying anything we haven't heard before/You're caught up in an argument/And you're so lost in modern art."
"Searching For A Former Clarity" is a step up from their previous release, "As The Eternal Cowboy," in terms of musicianship and production, as well as a more obvious political stance on today's issues. While their new record provides nothing groundbreaking, it does hold potential for future releases.
To promote the album, Against Me! will be embarking on the Fat Wreck Chords fall tour with labelmates The Epoxies, Smoke or Fire and The Soviettes. The tour will hit small clubs in all 50 states starting this month through December.
Once known for singing songs about drinking Guinness and their anarchist mentality, the band has begun writing about the highs and lows of the past two years as they take on their growing popularity. The opening track, "Miami," sets the tone for the album by starting off with a slow guitar strum and kicks into high gear, while lead vocalist and guitarist Tom Gabel goes into the state of modern music today.
"They're selling it to you as art/It's every other word in movies and songs/All the public is buying/It's business as usual and the business is capitalizing on your fear, your greed, your perversions and vices."
The band also takes aim at the Bush administration and dissatisfaction at issues being handled abroad. In "From Her Lips To God's Ears (The Energizer)," Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice is the target of abuse for her failure to bring peace and stability in Iraq. In "Justin," the point of view is put on a fictional every-day American family dealing with the death of their son Justin from fighting in Iraq.
The band does bring some of their country and folk influences to their evolving sound of punk rock. In two consecutive tracks, "How Low" and "Joy," Gabel sings of altering attitudes of his own life. In "How Low," he croons over the loneliness and repetition of his daily rituals, while in "Joy," he searches optimistically to find happiness in his world. Both songs bring to mind influence from Irish folk singer Billy Bragg and fit the perfect atmosphere of sitting in a smoky bar at two in the morning.
In the first single off the album, "Don't Lose Touch," Gabel takes on the critics, and even his own fans, who felt disenchanted by the band's success and change in sound in recent years. Nevertheless, he and his bandmates forge ahead on their own terms.
"You're coming off quite contrived and pretentious/You're not saying anything we haven't heard before/You're caught up in an argument/And you're so lost in modern art."
"Searching For A Former Clarity" is a step up from their previous release, "As The Eternal Cowboy," in terms of musicianship and production, as well as a more obvious political stance on today's issues. While their new record provides nothing groundbreaking, it does hold potential for future releases.
To promote the album, Against Me! will be embarking on the Fat Wreck Chords fall tour with labelmates The Epoxies, Smoke or Fire and The Soviettes. The tour will hit small clubs in all 50 states starting this month through December.