It’s not often I’m compelled to write about an album but recently I got hold of the new Against Me! album, White Crosses, which has been occupying my stereo for the last couple of days none stop.

I cannot remember the last time that I listened to an album where I loved every song. In fact I don’t think an album by any of my ‘favourite’ bands has ever contained a track that has not become a victim of the skip button.

Firstly, I must confess that I’m not a die hard Against Me! having only discovered them in 2007 when they released the album ‘New Wave’, so I thought I’d do a bit of research into their back story. If you don’t know much about them then here are the highlights.

1. Formed in 1997 in Gainesville, Florida
2. Released their first full-length album in 2002
3. Released their first major label album (New Wave) in 2007

If you want to feed your craving for stats a simple search of wikipedia will provide the flesh to the above points. However, I shall point out that, from reading a number of articles on the web, it seems the release of ‘New Wave’ divided their fan base who accused them of being sell-outs having left their indie label roots and signed for a major.

I have never understood this whole philosophy of ‘selling out’, bands grow, their sound changes, their priorities change along with what influences them. Having been in a band that have been going 9 years I know this to be true and it’s partly the reason I’m embarking on the play_rewind_eject project but I digress….back to Against Me!

There are 10 tracks on ‘White Crosses’ and one of the first things to strike me when I listened to it was Tom Gabels voice and the incredible melodies that pour from every track. Tracks like ‘I was a Teenage Anarchist’ and ‘Spanish Moss’ pound from the Speakers as though they are trying to escape from your stereo.

As well as his voice, Tom is a wordsmith of some merit. Lyrically this album takes quite a political stance, especially opener ‘White Crosses’ which relates to an abortion memorial at a Church in their home State of Florida.

One of my favourite tracks on the album is ‘We’re Breaking Up’ simply because it’s very easy to turn any song about relationship melt down into some over produced, emotional pile of cheese. While the track is one of the softer moments on the album, the lyrics and arrangements make sure it stays the right side of mould.

I’ve tried not to compare the album to any other band as usually instant easy references can put people off as well as doing the band themselves a disservice. So just go and listen to Against Me! and enjoy the music of a band that might just be on the verge of hitting the big time (to the annoyance of some of their die hard original fans).