Music is a very important tool to measure what kind of mood you are in over an extended period of time. It can be difficult when your favorite band seems to betray all of its previous values in pursuit of a more mainstream sound, making it more aesthetically pleasing to the masses.
I’ll admit it. I’m a music elitist. My favorite band is a local Gainesville-based band Against Me!. I’ve been following it and going to its concerts for years now, and while the concerts haven’t lost their edge, the albums seem to have tapered off into Green Day-esque mainstream pop-punk.
When the new Against Me! album, “White Crosses,” leaked last week, I immediately downloaded and listened to it. Looking at the names of the songs presented a drastic change from its previous efforts. “We’re Breaking Up”? Really, guys? This, from the same band who came out with “Baby, I’m an Anarchist,” “Pints of Guinness Make You Strong,” and “From Her Lips to God’s Ears,” a politically charged piece about Condoleezza Rice. It was nice to see an acoustic song on the new record, though, something that was missing from the extremely overproduced New Wave album. But, “Ache With Me” represents yet another change from anger to a sappy ballad about feeling bad for yourself.
However, after a few listens to the album, I realized I was into it, and I really didn’t want to be. I want to be able to have my release, my escape, in Against Me!. I go to the concerts and scream my lungs out to a terrific show, and then it’s back to everyday life. I grab my guitar and cover their songs. I’m even in a band with my best friend, and we play acoustic covers of, almost exclusively, Against Me! songs.
The reason why I’m so into it is because it represents me, as I am now. In high school, when I would listen to their anarchistic songs about the evils of our government, I completely agreed with them. I was the guy spouting off about how terrible both sides of politics were, and how it’s not even worth it to vote because a 2000 election will always happen; and the person who the powerful elite want to be president will always win.
I recently got involved in politics. And while I still despise many aspects of the government, I see it as a necessary evil. And that is the main connection I can feel with the band right now. We’re both growing into the same kind of mature understandings of how the world works.
Sure, Against Me! and I will always have some aspects of left-wing politics in common. The title track from its new album is about seeing an abortion memorial in a church lawn in St. Augustine and wanting to smash every white cross the church put up to represent each aborted fetus. I can understand where Tom Gabel was coming from when he wrote it, but I also realize there are so many more important things to provide social commentaries for in the world today.
I also feel a connection to “I Was a Teenage Anarchist” because, although I was never “ready to set the world on fire,” I definitely remember the days when I was a big part of the counterculture. Being surrounded by ultra-conservative rich people in Catholic school provided a very easy opportunity to be a part of the counterculture, as I was raised by my family, who has very different views and values from those of my former classmates.
What I take from the album at the end is from the song “Bamboo Bones.” “Push back with every word and every breath. What God doesn’t give to you, you’ve got to go and get for yourself.” I was recently considering giving up this column, but the album makes me realize that I don’t want to. I enjoy writing for all of you. And even though many of you hate what I have to say, I should still do what I want to do.
And that is why music is important. You can learn from it, grow from it and gain a deeper understanding of yourself.
