AGAINST ME - White Crosses

The fifth proper studio album for Gainesville, Florida's Against Me!. I would classify their sound on this album as punk arena rock. They sound big, like Bruce Springsteen, but they've also got their punk rock roots. My favorite Against Me! songs are the ones that tell stories about their main characters, like "Thrash Unreal" off of New Wave and now, from this album, "Because of the Shame". I don't think White Crosses is the best album of 2010, but it's a pretty good listen nonetheless.

www.myspace.com/againstme
www.againstme.net

AGAINST ME - I Was A Teenage Anarchist EP

As a prelude to the June 8th release of their latest album, White Crosses, Against Me! give us this four-track EP. Two of the songs, "I Was A Teenage Anarchist" and "Rapid Decompression" are from the album and the other two, "One By One" and "Bitter Divisions", are B-Sides. I love the energy of this band and the grit in Tom Gabel's voice. They play (punk) rock that could fill up an arena, with everyone in attendance yelling the choruses out together with their fists in the air. I dig these guys a lot and am definitely looking forward to the new album. 2010 is shaping up to be a great year in music!

www.myspace.com/againstme
www.againstme.net

SURFER BLOOD - Astro Coast

The debut from the West Palm Beach, Florida band. I got this album to review a few weeks ago but was delayed by other projects so I haven't been able to listen until now. In those short few weeks, it seems to me that the band has been labeled as the next big thing and have gotten a lot more popular.

I finally found the time to listen to Astro Coast and I hear a blend of garage pop/psychedelia/shoegaze/rock. I understand that "Swim" is the album's single and that isn't shocking; it's catchy and has a simple chorus that you'll be able to sing along to before the end of the song. I can see the big appeal to this album: it combines the pop sensibilities of a band like Vampire Weekend with the fuzz of The Jesus and Mary Chain. While so many bands are choosing to go one way (indie pop) or the other (shoegaze/experimental), Surfer Blood choose to straddle the line.

Final impression: I think some of the songs are great (album opener "Floating Vibes" and the aforementioned "Swim" make for a fine 1-2 punch) but by the end of the album the songs all seem to blend into one. I wish there was a bit more variety, is what I'm alluding to. Even so, decent.

www.myspace.com/surferblood
www.surferblood.blogspot.com

NEW FOUND GLORY - Not Without A Fight

They're from Florida, and have been around since the end of the 90's. Not Without A Fight is their sixth proper studio album, following the release of Tip of the Iceberg/Takin' It Ova!, which featured an EP billed to NFG and a full-length by NFG masquerading as the International Superheroes of Hardcore. Not Without A Fight returns to the emo/pop-punk sound that New Found Glory is best known for, with most of the lyrics focusing on relationships. Singer Jordan Pundik sounds a bit less whiny on this album than he has in the past, though he still is recognizable (for better or for worse, depending on your feeling about his vocals). This is their first album on the Epitaph label and should please their long-time fans.

www.myspace.com/newfoundglory
www.newfoundglory.com (Currently redirects to their myspace site)

FAKE PROBLEMS - It's Great To Be Alive

This is the band's third full-length album and first for the SideOneDummy label. They're from Naples, Florida, so the comparisons to Against Me!, who are also from Naples, are inevitable. Fake Problems plays poppier punk rock than the aformentioned Against Me!. Some of their stuff has an acoustic, folk-punk influence. All in all, it's a good album and should appeal to anyone who has an interest in this style of music.

www.myspace.com/fakeproblems
www.fakeproblems.com

Tom Gabel - Heart Burns EP

Tom is the frontman for the Gainesville, Florida punk band, Against Me!. Though this is officially his first solo EP, Against Me! began as his solo project, so it's not unfamiliar territory for him. He maintains the political and protest songs of his bands, offering commentary on the world around us. This release maintains the punk and rock energy of his band while exploring folk, singer-songwriter acoustic guitars (though not in a wimpy manner), and even a bit of electronics. This dude is awesome, he rocks, I'd go see him live and I've listened to this EP four times in a row and I'm still not bored. Awesome!

www.myspace.com/tomgabelmusic
www.ifeelsicktomystomach.blogspot.com

Tom Gabel - Anna Is A Stool Pigeon single

He is the lead singer for Against Me! This is the single for his debut solo EP, Heart Burns, which comes out on October 28, 2008. The sound is different from Against Me! in that it is acoustic-guitar based, but it still has politically-charged lyrics and Tom's trademark angry young man spoken vocals. It's good stuff, the EP is something to look forward to.

www.myspace.com/tomgabelmusic
ifeelsicktomystomach.blogspot.com