Against Me!

Before beginning my review, it is important to note that I have never before heard of the supporting acts for the night; Coue’ Method and Crime in Stereo. Furthermore, at $6.50 for a plastic cup of beer, I was not drunk enough to enjoy them.

As I sit here assessing this somewhat average Coue’ Method, I struggle to find the right words to convey what I am hearing. The Forum’s speaker system may be to blame for the blur of noise that inundates me, but as each new song begins, I find this to be less and less likely. Maybe it’s the grinding overdriven guitars or the bass sound being thicker than 2 month old yogurt. I wouldn’t go as far to call the band boring, but I couldn’t help but feel disinterested. I guess that’s the peril of a support act. To be fair, Coue’ Method have power, energy and some catchy beats, however, having said that, it has to be said that all of their songs sound almost painfully similar.

While writing the last line in my note book, the singer removed his shirt, leaving a frightening muscled man storming around the stage and gyrating his pelvis over the mic stand. This is more than a little off putting. Remove this awful image from your head! Remind yourself, twats can still make good music. Overall, I was disappointed by Coue’ Method. Heavy bass, throaty yelling/screaming, simple drum lines, and palm muted strumming are all things that may have excited me as an angsty 14 year old Linkin Park fan. This just isn’t my cup of tea anymore. Let’s just put it this way, I’m not off to Missing Link to buy their album.

Waiting for Crime in Stereo became very exciting when One Armed Scissor by prog rock band At the Drive-In was played over the house sound system. This put me in a tremendous mood and was ready for more music. Perhaps it was silly to put any band against At the Drive-in, but I was nevertheless feeling let down again. I slight improvement from Coue’ Method, Crime in Stereo offered much of the same stylings. Overdrive strumming, heavy bass and a singer who most likely left the Forum with a sore throat. To their credit, they are a well animated band who features some jumping and general rocking out up on stage. In the right amounts, this can make a band interesting to watch, and Crime in Stereo have found the right balance. If a comparison had to be made, I would say the Crime in Stereo are a cross between Yellowcard and Sparta (the less talented other half of the split up At the Drive-in). I believe the best part of crime in stereo to be their simple beats and breaks. Helped along by a distinguishable difference between lead and rhythm guitars. Not a bad effort from Crime in Stereo, worth looking up.

A friend once asked me, “Who’s that wannabe punk band you listen to?” In recent times, I would probably shy away from the term punk if asked what Against Me! were like. While some critics would say it’s a step backwards for the boys from Gainsville, I say it’s a step in a direction. On tour to promote the release of New Wave, Against Me!’s set list consisted of 9 of 10 the songs off the new album. One has to wonder how much this was influenced by managers and record execs. I’ve seen Against Me! 4 times now, and if there is one thing I have noticed, it is that the band very rarely speaks to the crowd. Maybe a “thank-you for having us” towards the end of the set, but that’s it. Professionalism or contempt? Either way, this is a real band. Straight into business, the high powered songs had the crowd moving from the first note. You can’t help but thrash around to this music. I put away the note book so as to avoid copping a pen in my eye. While I enjoy Against Me!’s latest efforts in New Wave, it frustrated me a little to only head 5 of their older songs. Nevertheless, this technically proficient never fail to impress. While the music in itself isn’t inherently difficult to play, the fact that it’s tight and always solid makes its simplicity a non-issue. Against Me! will always have a place near my heart. To put it simply, the rock. And according to Rolling Stone, they are the greatest punk band in the world today. Couldn’t agree more.

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