Review: Against Me! - New Wave

Posted on 25 July 2007 | 3 Comments

Filed Under: Album Reviews, Just Plain Rock, Punk

--

So Against Me’s new album New Wave is out now and it is an even further departure from the sparse, raw, and ragged sound of their early days than their last album. It is also their first for major label Sire Records.

Like many other punk bands that have made the jump from the DIY/indie world to a major label, the move is sure to alienate a good portion of their fans while being no guarantee that new fans will convert in droves to the gospel according to Against Me! All that being said, New Wave is a fantastic record with biting lyrics that the you know just what sort of politics the band believes in. Yes, the album is more produced than the band’s previous records, but if I had a chance to have Butch Vig produce a record for my band, I’d jump at the opportunity too. Besides, the lo-fi punk aesthetic that Against Me! began with has been endlessly copied and worn out by much more mediocre outfits than they. The winds of change have been blowing in Against Me’s sails for more than a short while now.

And maybe it is a little ballsy to release a song with a chorus of “Protest songs in response to military aggression,” as your first single, or maybe it is just what the complacent youth of America need to hear. You can’t fault Against Me from trying, right? Their jump to a major label means that their “protest songs” will be heard by more people. That’s a good thing, right?

In fact, the fist song on New Wave beings with the telling lyrics, “We can control the medium. We can control the context and presentation.” Seems to me like the boys in Against Me! thought long and hard about their move to Sire Records, and have (in the process) made the best record of their young careers. It is catchy and anthemic. It is political without being preachy. It is simply awesome. I highly recommend picking up your copy of New Wave today.

MP3 | Against Me! – White People For Peace New Wave
MP3 | Against Me! – Borne On The FM Waves New Wave

Comments

1 GET OVER YOURSELF - 531 days ago I have always been a kinda fan of theirs. but this album i think is awesome start to finish. when i listen to it i hear progression as song writers not sellouit music as some of their fans may think

2 Eric Grubbs - 531 days ago I've been rockin' out to this for a few weeks now. Definitely a worthwhile listen.

3 Anonymous - 517 days ago While i refuse to condemn this album with a knee jerk response like some other long time AM! fans, i also have to disagree with the assessment that this is the best album of Against Me's career. The album is great from beginning to end, with a few exceptions being Stop and Animal. Stop sounds like it was inspired by Ram Jam, and Animal is repetitive and boring, a trait not often heard in songs written by Gable. With the exception of those tracks this album (while being a departure from AM! camp fire punk sound of the past) is good, but not that good. To say this album is better then 'Axle Rose', 'Acoustic Ep' or 'Crimes' is putting the amazing cart in front of the very good horse. This album will certainly be the best selling of the bands career, but as far as quality it belongs somewhere between Eternal Cowboy and Crimes on my personal list of favorites.