Against Me - Searching For A Former Clarity
by Philip Vincent
published: 17 / 9 / 2005
Label:
Fat Wreck
Format: CD
intro
Unsatisfying latest offering from usually more reliable Florida-based punks Against Me !
I like to judge a band's new album with a fresh set of ears, trying not to remember what went before the band's current release and, therefore, have no expectations of what is coming. With Against Me ! I was so pleasantly surprised, however, by their previous album 'The Eternal Cowboy' that I thought “I must have this” What a bloody disappointment it was then when I put this record on. Tom Gabel is a good lyricist. He was once amazing, but on this album his words are streamed over the top with no real structure or format. I am all for songs not rhyming , but on 'Searching for a Former Clarity' the lyrics sound so squashed into the musical structures that I wonder if the entire album was a rush job. There is one redeeming track entitled 'From Her Lips to God’s Ears (The Energizer)' which is a great attack on US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice But apart from that I was expecting much better. To my ears Gabel seems to have lost his talent for fitting a good lyric into a good song. But, hey, maybe I just don’t get it.
Track Listing:-
1 Miami2 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
live reviews |
|
Joseph's Wells, Leeds, 29/5/2004 |
|
| Against Me have gained a reputation as being one of the best live acts around. Alex Halls in Leeds watches them "play punk rock...with its original anarchic feel" and more than match up to the hype |
most viewed articles
current edition
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #15- On Being Dignified and Old aka Ten Tips From Jah Wobble On How To Be Happy.Dennis Tufano - Copernicus Center, Chicago, 19/7/2024
Elliott Murphy - Interview
Wreckless Eric - Interview
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #16: Living in the Minds of Strangers
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #17: Tom Robinson
Adrian Gurvitz - Interview
Norman Rodger - Interview
Chris Spedding - Interview
Penumbra - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Groovy Uncle - Making ExcusesPhilip Parfitt - The Dark Light
Jules Winchester - The Journey
Deep Purple - =1
Bill Wyman - Drive My Car
Ross Couper Band - The Homeroad
Hawkestrel - Chaos Rocks
John Murry and Michael Timmins - A Little Bit of Grace and Decay
Popstar - Obscene
Splashgirl and Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe - More Human
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart