SOUND BITES

"Power pop" likely isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Against Me!; more accurately, it's probably near the bottom of the list. However, what we get on AM!'s seventh record is sort of just that. Granted, it's a distorted, more visceral form of it; but, in terms of overall theme and feel, there are a lot of parallels. Tales of lust, love and heartbreak punctuated with sharp riffs and big choruses abound on Shape Shift With Me , a marked about-face from the anxious and confrontational mission statement of Transgender Dysphoria Blues ; that said, between the candid nature of that album and Laura Jane Grace's upcoming autobiography, it must be somewhat refreshing to shift focus from such controversial and heavy subject matter to simply crafting an album of tight, upbeat songs. Even with all the profanity, it could be Against Me!'s most accessible album; and, as I find myself having an incredibly difficult time deciding which three ...

We all know that expression is the most important ingredient in art. We also know that, sometimes, the way an artist expresses themselves isn't what some would call "appropriate". Ever since the first person took offence to an artistic statement, there have been artists that revel in offending. Recently, Wakrat (side project featuring Rage Against the Machine bassist Tim Commerford) released their new single Generation Fucked, a snappy little tune with a nice groove. Oh, and 36 F-bombs. That got me thinking about this week's column, and what might make the cut on a list of the most explicit songs ever released. As it turns out, there are a lot of explicit songs, so I had to pare the list down somehow. With that in mind, the boundaries I set are as follows: a) No hip-hop or extreme metal. Low hanging fruit. b) No joke/novelty bands. Sorry, Tenacious D and Steel Panther. c) No album tracks. For inclusion on this list, a song has to have been released as ...

An album review is supposed to focus on the music, and ignore the surrounding chatter. However, it simply can't be done with an album such as Transgender Dysphoria Blues ; the surrounding chatter is the basis for the album. So yes, let's get it out of the way: Tom Gabel came out as Laura Jane Grace in 2012, and has been undergoing a medically assisted gender transition since. That said, Against Me!'s sixth album sees the "debut" of Laura on record. "Let's get it out of the way" seems to be Grace's motto on the album as well; the album's opener (the title track) most explicitly references her life and the issues that have arisen since making her decision public. And explicit it is, with Grace spitting venom at those who pass judgment on the subject without so much as asking questions. Her assertion is jarring in its bluntness, with lines like "they just see a faggot" and "you've got no cunt in your strut, you've g...

A couple of weeks back, I mentioned ten awesome and/or important albums that have the distinct privilege of being released during the months of July and August, a virtual musical dead zone where labels keep the good stuff locked in their cupboards for the fall shopping season and have stopped adequately promoting the marquee releases that came out in spring. We covered a good chunk of the 90's during Part 1. Today, let's have a look at 1997-2012, and ten more albums that beat the odds and captured that elusive Summer Greatness.

AGAINST ME! Occult Enemies From: Russian Spies/Occult Enemies 7" Released: June 14 Dissatisfied with their mishandling by clueless major label dimwits (as I documented in full last year while praising White Crosses as 2010's Album of the Year), Against Me! parted ways with Sire Records and opted, like so many mishandled bands do, to go the independent route.  After starting up Total Treble, their own label, the band christened it with a new single, containing Russian Spies on the A-side and Occult Enemies as the B-side (which, by its inclusion on Year in Rock, pretty much locks it up as the year's best B-side).  It's also the first studio recording to be released with Jay Weinberg on drums.  If the last name sounds familiar, it should; Jay's dad is Max, famed drummer of the E Street Band and Conan O'Brien's O.G. house drummer from his Late Night days. As for the material, it's suitably raw yet surprisingly crisp.  It's the sound of a ba...