By BRENDAN TENAN
Staff Writer
It’s time for another edition of “Bang Your Head with Brendan,” the only column in The Chronicle that celebrates, analyzes, and reviews all of the music that makes you rock out. I apologize for the lack of reviews in the last few weeks—the months of January and February are typically lean in terms of good, new music being released. With that said, the last four to six weeks have seen some very interesting releases by both rising stars and living legends. So without further ado, let’s crank those speakers up to 11 and check out some of rock’s latest offerings.
Against Me!, Transgender Dysphoria Blues: One of the first major releases of the new year came from punk band Against Me!. Their latest album, Transgender Dysphoria Blues, is not only the first really good album I’ve heard in 2014, but it also carries a great deal of social and societal importance. Much of the album’s lyrics directly reference the process lead singer Laura Jane Grace went through to change genders. The singer, formerly known as Tommy Gabel, underwent a sex change operation a couple years ago after identifying as a trans woman for many years. The lyrics have a decidedly personal edge to them, and the music is righteously fast, dynamic, and angry.
For a band that’s been known for producing some terrific, angry and cathartic punk songs, Laura Jane Grace has made Against Me! even angrier and more frank with this honest and, at times, uncomfortable telling of the experiences she’s had; first, with hiding who she really is, then facing the ignorance and hatred many transgendered individuals are unfairly forced to endure. What makes this album work for listeners of all types is that, even though Grace is speaking about her own specific experiences as a transgendered woman facing transphobia in its many forms, the songs still carry universal themes of alienation and depression that anybody can identify with.
The brutal honesty in the lyrics seems to have given Laura Jane Grace some measure of catharsis and closure. Since coming out as a trans woman and having procedures done to change her gender, Grace seems to be in a much more positive place. I’ve read more than one account of live performances by Against Me! where people noted how truly happy she seemed to be, and it didn’t appear to be just a result of the adrenaline rush performers can get while being on stage.
The music itself isn’t revolutionary in terms of structure, time signature, or key. Rather, what makes it such a revelation is how unrelenting and uncompromising the album is from beginning to end. From the opening, militaristic drum roll and jangling, but still heavy guitar intro in the album’s opener, “Transgender Dysphoria Blues,” to the beautiful yet haunting acoustic track “Two Coffins,” Against Me! never once let up or allow the listener to get too comfortable.
In an era where far too many rock artists seem content to just make records that will be commercially viable, but have little to say artistically or socially, it’s a breath of fresh air to hear an album like Transgender Dysphoria Blues. Not only do Against Me! capture the anti-authority attitude that made rock such a vital and popular genre in the first place, the band has also successfully been able to address an issue that’s important for many people, and ignored by many more.
9.5/10
Altitudes & Attitude, Altitudes & Attitude (EP): Chances are, you probably haven’t heard of Altitudes and Attitude before. However, if you’re a fan of thrash metal, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of the band’s members. Altitudes and Attitude is the latest side project of Anthrax bassist Frank Bello and Megadeth bassist David Ellefson. The self-titled EP is the group’s debut, and features three excellent songs that are more hard rock than thrash metal. They’re joined by Jeff Friedl from A Perfect Circle on drums, and Gus G. from Ozzy Osbourne’s band on guitar for one of the tracks. Bello, who has provided background vocals for years with Anthrax, takes over the lead singer responsibilities and trades in his usual five-string bass for a six-string guitar. Ellefson provides the bass tracks, additional rhythm guitar parts, and backup vocals (a role that he’s familiar with thanks to his time in Megadeth).
While certainly a departure from the majority of their respective catalogues as members of metal’s “Big 4,” this new venture from Bello and Ellefson is much better than I was expecting. Bello does a terrific job as the lead singer. He seems to channel a Dave Grohl-like sound in his voice on the opening track, “Booze and Cigarettes,” a song that sounds like a party hardy, ready-made arena anthem, but has a deeper and more emotional meaning for Bello. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Bello revealed it was a phrase he said to his grandmother as a joke while she was receiving chemotherapy. The joke helped lift his grandmother’s spirits while she underwent treatment. The song is a tribute to Bello’s grandmother, who passed away in 2012.
The other two tracks on the EP are just as strong. “Tell the World” is a slightly mellower, mid-tempo song with a strong message about staying true to oneself. The album’s final track, “Here Again,” is the closest Bello and Ellefson come to their thrash roots in this EP.
All in all, this is a solid effort from two metal legends showcasing some of the talents they aren’t able to let shine in their primary bands. I’ve generally been a fan of seeing my favorite artists take on side projects like this to further express themselves creatively, and Altitudes and Attitude did not leave me disappointed.
8.5/10
Bruce Springsteen, High Hopes: With hit albums spanning across five different decades, countless platinum records and awards, and enshrinement in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,
here’s no denying that Bruce Springsteen is a rock icon. “The Boss” recently released his latest album, High Hopes. It became his 11th Number 1 album on the Billboard charts. Only The Beatles and Jay-Z have scored more Number 1 albums than New Jersey’s most celebrated son.
High Hopes is a bit of a hodge-podge of music from Springsteen and his E Street Band. The album features a mix of brand-new music, re-releases of a couple of Bruce’s classics, and more than a few songs he had written for previous albums, but that ended up not making the cut for one reason or another. Despite the selection of songs seeming to be a mixed bag, the album itself is anything but. Both Springsteen and the E Street band have recovered and adjusted well since the tragic death of Clarence Clemons, whose powerful saxophone was one of the hallmarks of the band’s signature sound. Springsteen’s songwriting skills are as strong as usual, and he’s effectively been able to utilize both new and returning members of the E Street Band to make up for Clarence’s loss. High Hopes doesn’t seem to have the same level of anger and vitriol as Bruce’s last effort, 2012’s Wrecking Ball. However, there still are many recurring themes that have long been a part of his songwriting: crises and struggles both nationwide and personal; the never ending hope for peace, love, and unification; and the bitter admission that it may never come in his lifetime.
One of the highlights of this album is the addition of Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello to the E Street lineup. It’s not known whether or not this is a guest appearance for the album or if the partnership is more permanent. Regardless, it works. Morello adds his signature guitar scratching and dive bombs to the revisited Springsteen classic, “The Ghost of Tom Joad,” giving new dimension and dynamic to the originally acoustic song. “American Skin (41 Shots),” originally written by Springsteen in response to the death of Amadou Diallo at the hands of NYPD officers in 1999, holds a greater resonance now in the wake of Trayvon Martin, Sandy Hook, and countless other tragedies that the country has almost become numb to. The cover songs on this album open and close the record. The title track, originally recorded by the Havalinas, and “Dream Baby Dream” capture the never-give-up, blue collar, fighting spirit that Springsteen has embodied for much of his career, and are fitting additions to his ever-expanding repertoire. For all his accolades, Bruce Springsteen truly is the everyman rock star, and High Hopes is an excellent illustration of that. 9/10
That’s all the music I have for this week. Be sure to check out the next column, as I’ll be taking a historical look at rock and roll and the men and women who helped shape it in its earliest days. Until then, crank up the volume and kick out the jams!
