For my first music spotlight I would like to introduce you to a little band called Against Me!
Against Me! hit the punk rock scene back in 1997 with their first Demo but it wasn’t until 2002 that they really stomped their name into the stage with the release of Reinventing Axl Rose. Lead singer Tom Gabel and the rest of the band; Andrew Seward (bass), Warren Oakes (drums) and James Bowman (guitar), have then continued to release 4 more successful albums after that with their latest album, New Wave from 2007.
Gabel is known to set the stage with some deep anti-political overtones verging on the line of anarchism, something traditional punk rock fans may find unusually welcoming while listening to. Some of the older tracks from Against Me! really set the bar with their half screaming vocals and raw stage sound. It’s easy to become fixated with their upbeat and happy-go-lucky tempos, something I find myself eagerly wanting to dance to with one fist in the air.
Over the years the bands raw uncut sound has transformed into something a little more refined in the studio, as many successful bands do. However, I find myself unable to break away from their earlier releases for many reasons. They bring back the feeling that some original punk rock bands brought to the table, something hard to find in these days full of indie and emo alike.
For a quick sample of what Against Me! offers, check out this acoustic track from their 2004 Acoustic EP. This song is entitled Reinventing Axl Rose
Recommended listening to while: SKATEBOARDING
For more information on the band visit them online:
AgainstMe.net
Against Me! on Myspace
March 18th, 2009 at 8:55 am
I have been walking around my job going “WHOA OH OH…WHOA OH OH…”
