Vinyl Reviews Week One: The Against Me! Episode

I've decided to increase the quantity to four records per week so I can get through more of my collection by the end of the semester, and I'll be sure to keep the reviews a little on the shorter side. Or maybe I'll just insert a page break after the first album.

A short introduction to this week's post: Against Me! is my favorite band, so it makes sense as to why ten albums and a solo EP by singer Laura Jane Grace. So the next two and a half posts will be only Against Me!, much to the chagrin of the folks who wish to see my Fugazi or Elliott Smith albums. Just stay tuned, as they'll be posted in a few weeks. I haven't quite decided on a scale for rating the albums, so I might just employ The Needle Drop's Anthony Fantano's "strong/light #" system.

Against Me! - As The Eternal Cowboy (Fat Wreck Chords, 2003)

As The Eternal Cowboy is Against Me!'s second album, and their first for Fat Wreck Chords. My copy is black, but limited edition pink and white vinyl were also pressed. Some argue that this is AM!'s crown jewel (*cough* Brian Woolwine *cough*), but this is my least favorite full length of theirs. It's amazingly memorable, but not as memorable as some of their other releases. The highlight of the album are the last two tracks, "Turn Those Clapping Hands Into Angry Balled Fists" and "Cavalier Eternal." Their is a sonic juxtaposition between the two: "Clapping Hands" is, predictably, a fiery folk-punk anthem that recalls their first album Reinventing Axl Rose, while "Cavalier Eternal" is a bittersweet acoustic ballad-of-sorts about both a breakup involving mutual infidelity and chasing dreams.
Rating: Strong 8

Against Me! - The Disco Before The Breakdown (No Idea Records, 2002)

A three song 7" EP released before their debut full length, The Disco Before The Breakdown might be the perfect Against Me! release. The three songs are among the best they've ever written, and Gainesville, FL based No Idea Records did a great job at making a lot of varied copies. My record, for example is a pink marble vinyl pressed in 2009 and limited to 40 copies. What this EP lacks in audio quality (audiophiles beware) it makes up for in raw, iconoclastic energy. The only downside: it's too short. None of these songs make an appearance on their debut full length, so this vinyl EP is the only place outside of the internet to hear these tunes.
Rating: Light 9

Against Me! - High Pressure Low (Sabot Productions, 2010)

This acoustic 7" EP features two songs: an alternate version of the song "High Pressure Low," which originally was on their 2011 album White Crosses, and "Strip Mall Parking Lots." The stripped down 7" doesn't feature the fanciest packaging. A standard weight black record inside of a sleeve with the lyrics printed on it, but it plays beautifully. On "High Pressure Low," every strum and "whoa" chorus is vibrant and vivacious. It isn't necessarily a release meant as an introduction to the band; this tour-only version is more of an extra for fans of White Crosses. It's a miracle this didn't get warped when I bought it at last years Warped Tour. That's funny, right?
Rating: Solid 7

Against Me! - The Original Cowboy (Fat Wreck Chords, 2009)

This album is a collection of demo from As The Eternal Cowboy's writing sessions. The track listing changes at times, but all of the songs are there. The quality is worse, but I'm not really nitpicky about things like that. The record itself is black standard weight, but the sleeve it is packages in is noticeably more flimsy than other releases by Fat Wreck. Mine is held together by tape, and I try to take immaculate care of records. If this counted as an AM! studio album (it doesn't) it would be the worst. It isn't bad by any meaning of the word. The Original Cowboy just has less substance than its studio-realized brother. I do like how the intermission track was originally an introduction track on this release.
Rating: Light 7