Guitars, Drums, Tones, and Saxophones

Against Me! - White Crosses

OK, shameful admission time, and this could get me fired from (beard)punx: before this album, I was never an Against Me! fan. I tried a few times, after hearing enough praises of Reinventing Axl Rose and The Eternal Cowboy, but listening to those albums- particularly the former- it never clicked. I heard a couple of songs off of New Wave, notably “Stop!” and “White People for Peace” and enjoyed the latter, but still, not enough to really get into them.

Then I was offered a leak of White Crosses.

Yep, I downloaded the leak. Hopefully Sire will be gentle with me. Though I plan to enjoy the shit out of my legally-purchased LP of this album when it arrives at my house. I bought the album, because frankly, this album shifted my feelings on Against Me!. It grabbed me, and I started to see what people loved about the band. And, perhaps more importantly, it seemed to help me appreciate the older material. Searching for a Former Clarity is probably my favorite AM! release now.

But let’s actually talk about White Crosses.

This follows from the New Wave material. I’d say, if you really disliked how the band sounded on New Wave, you’re not gonna like how they sound here. It’s big, catchy, hook-laden rock and roll. The anthemic “whoa’s” of “Because of the Shame” will send concert hall or arena crowds into fist-pumping sing alongs. Those early Plan-It-X and Fat Wreck albums were meant to sound great in small, sweaty clubs and basements. These songs are designed, with almost scientific precision, to blare out of multi-thousand watt sound systems.

Longtime fans of the band will note the absence of longtime drummer Warren Oakes from the kit. Likewise, Hot Water Music fans will probably be bummed that former HWM drummer George Rebelo’s considerable talents (as evidenced by his old band’s catalog) appear largely underused here, save for the closer “Bamboo Bones.” Not everything can be Fuel for the Hate Game, I suppose.

Fans who are hoping for a return to Axl Rose-type material are, well, delusional. I’m not sure how you can follow this band and maintain hope that they’re backtrack like that. This is a logical step further into the grandiose American Rock And Roll that was begun on New Wave. If you can accept that, and listen to this album for what it is, you’ll probably find yourself taken in by the sing-along choruses and big hooks.

Note: some versions of the album feature four bonus tracks. I don’t have ‘em, so I won’t talk about ‘em.

Tags: against me!