Total Treble (2014)
I like all of the Against Me albums. Every single one of them, but even I will admit that the last couple seemed to be a bit lacking in the intensity department. I blame it on the glossy production values of New Wave and White Crosses (though the release of the Black Crosses version of the latter album corrected a lot of the issues I had with that record). While the songs were always there, Against Me sounds best a little rougher around the edges. It just lets the passion shine though.
Transgender Dysphoria Blues is a step back in the right direction. The glossy sterile recording is gone, but this is far from a lo fi affair. It's just perfectly produced with full guitars and clean vocals, but none of the angst lost to the sheen of knob fiddling. Plus the songs; oh these songs. There is a fury in this album that's been missing for a while. Right from the rolling drum roll intro of the first track "Transgender Dysphoria Blues" it's immediately apparent that Against Me is back.
Incredible song after incredible song follow like "True Trans Soul Rebel" (A full band version infinitely better than the acoustic version released on a prior 7"), "Drinking With The Jocks," and "Dead Friend." As the name of the song may insinuate, things do get a little heavy handed on the song "Osama Bin Laden As The Crucified Christ" but it's a rare misstep on this otherwise stellar album.
Against Me - Transgender Dysphoria Blues:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFgFGgjNQ4E
Against Me - Drinking With The Jocks:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcA_jhuKliQ
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