Review Summary: "All of my life, wishing I was one of them..."
I think some people underestimate the risks and fear of coming out as a transgender man or woman. Not only do you face many of the criticisms and phobias that go out to anyone associated with LGBT, but it's also more
visual. While being lesbian, bi, or gay is about who you prefer, being transgender is about who you actually are. In other words, it's all about identity. And knowing this information only makes Laura Jane Grace's transition braver and important in the grand scheme of things, considering how negatively transgender people have been portrayed in past media. Initially going by the name of Tom Gabel, Grace always included little tidbits of her dysphoria in previous Against Me! records, even in their oldest releases. But with the aptly-titled
Transgender Dysphoria Blues, this is all brought to the forefront. After the not-so-stellar reputation of their previous album
White Crosses, many fans wondered if Grace's transition was going to lead to a reinvention for the band's sound.
Well, this definitely isn't a reinvention, nor is it a return to the more hardcore punk-influenced
Reinventing Axl Rose days. No, this one is pretty much a mixture of all the band has done to this point. You've got the hardcore elements and Atom Willard's strongest drumming in songs like "Drinking With the Jocks" and "Dead Friend," the band's signature folk touches in the sparse acoustic ballad "Two Coffins," and many other songs focusing on the stronger alternative rock influences of the last few releases. All of this is compiled into one of the band's shortest records (at about 28 minutes) and comes out to a genuinely fun series of punchy and fast punk anthems. These aren't just aggressive and energetic, they're all-out singalongs. But while many may cringe at what sounds a bit pop-punkish as I'm describing it, I assure you that there are plenty of classic punk (a la Ramones) and hardcore touches that separate this from more poppy and sugary acts. The short album length ensures that each song makes its presence known and touches upon its own themes without lingering too long, while still throwing in some nice tempo changes with songs like "Osama Bin Laden as the Crucified Christ" and "Two Coffins."
But while being fun and anthemic,
Transgender Dysphoria Blues is also a deeply personal record, something that consistently works in its favor. This is one album in which knowing each song's back story actually helps in enjoying it, especially the ones that deal with identity and family. "Two Coffins" is the most beautiful of the family ones, Grace singing about the relationship between her and her daughter; the completely acoustic instrumentation gives the most fitting and intimate feel to this subject matter. In fact, this is probably the most tight and focused the band's overall musicianship has been for years. Each member is important to the album's impact and each moment fits its mood perfectly. Laura and her bandmates have clearly mastered their mix of melody and aggression, especially in songs like "Fuckmylife666" and the title track, which blend these qualities flawlessly. Going back to the lyrics, the songs I'd recommend for the best lyricism would be the title track, "True Trans Soul Rebel," and especially the closer "Black Me Out"... the latter seeming to be Grace's emotional fight back after this long struggle with identity and dysphoria. It's really an amazing way to end such a powerful musical journey.
I usually hesitate to give such a recent album a perfect 5/5 rating, because I feel like an album usually needs time to grow and reveal more to the listener. However, there's so little to dislike about
Transgender Dysphoria Blues that it's really a challenge to find glaring faults... if there are any at all. Every song has a purpose, the short length means it can be enjoyed over and over again on repeat, and the mix of anthemic energy and genuine feeling is so damn hard to resist. Laura, James, and Atom should be proud to have created the best Against Me! record since
Reinventing Axl Rose and possibly the best album of the entire year. It's really that good. You have to hear it to believe it.
