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Tracklisting

1. Miami
2. Mediocrity Gets You Pears (The Shaker)
3. Justin
4. Unprotected Sex With Multiple Partners
5. From Her Lips To God's Ears (The Energizer)
6. Violence
7. Pretty Girls (The Mover)
8. How Low
9. Joy
10. Holy Shit
11. Even At Our Worst We're Still Better Than Most (The Roller)
12. Problems
13. Don't Lose Touch
14. Searching For A Former Clarity

 

AGAINST ME!
Searching For a Former Clairty

Submitted by: Kelsey McArdle

When a band decides to “grow” or “expand their sound”, this usually seems to act as a big red flag for any diehard fan who is waiting for a blatant duplication of that band’s former pinnacle efforts. Although these fans are quick to claim their undying admiration for these previous works , they’re just as quick to turn around and shun any group of musicians who have, in their minds, “turned their backs” on their old sound and their older fans. This seems to have been the case with the avid admirers of Florida’s infamous “folk-punk” band, Against Me! with the Sep. 6th release of their most recent CD, Searching For a Former Clarity. Though the CD is gaining some critical acclaim, the general consensus seems to be split down the middle as to whether or not Against Me! have grown for the better, or if this CD is only a step backwards for this seemingly revolutionary band. If you were to listen to this CD and not pay too much attention, it might not seem like its sound has strayed from the effective, crowd-pleasing Against Me! formula. Known for their rousing choruses, raw and inspiring vocals, and rough sing-a-longs, Against Me! still captures this essence on this new disc--just not to the same degree as former favorites like Reinventing Axl Rose. It’s blatantly obvious that the band wanted to experiment with new sounds, such as the addition of a horn section on the CD opener, “Miami” and other stunners, such as a song with a Franz Ferdinand-esque dance-rock feel and a few songs with an atypical slow and drawn out vibe. “How Low”, a low-key, yet stand-out song, is a primarily acoustic tune that might just become a new favorite Against Me! sing-a-long, and their single, “Don’t Lose Touch”, has a catchy, rhythm-driven, yet repetitive groove that is surprisingly infectious. Despite these changes, Tom Gabel, the band’s primary writer and front man, still sings every song and every fiery lyric with as much passion, even if these new songs have completely new and different feelings to them. It takes a bit of getting used to, but with close inspection and an attentive listen to this new album, it’s easy to see that Against Me! has matured in a surprising and interesting way without losing their strong and emotional voice, which is the factor that keeps the fans coming and keeps this band alive and still relevant.