Label: No Idea Records
Year: 2002
Genre: Punk Rock, Folk Punk
Recommending Person: Joe Szprygada
I didn't listen to Against Me! until 2007 when New Wave came out and Thrash Unreal was conquering Q101. Whenever a band makes me sing the entire song on the radio I always go back and check their previous releases. At that time I went back and enjoyed individual tracks "Pints of Guinness Make You Strong" and "Those Anarcho Punks are Mysterious...".
This album doesn't hit me the same way that New Wave did, but you can clearly see the roots of what I loved about them later in their career. I think this album shows way back in 2002 that Laura Jane Grace, the transgender lead singer, is an incredible ballad writer. My favorite track on the album is "Baby, I'm an Anarchist!" where the softer side of Grace comes through while still staying true to his over the top, to the point of satire, commitment to anarchy.
Much like the Smoking Popes from January, this would have heavily been in my high school rotation and many songs would make my mixes. I mean you can't go against lyrics like this: