Transgender Dysphoria Blues
Transgender Dysphoria Blues | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by Against Me! | ||||
Released | January 21, 2014[1] | |||
Recorded |
Total Treble Studios, Elkton, Florida Studio 606, Los Angeles, California Earthsound Recording, Valdosta, GA Motor Studios, San Francisco, CA | |||
Genre | Punk rock, alternative rock, folk punk, queercore, riot grrrl | |||
Length | 28:43 | |||
Label | Total Treble, Xtra Mile | |||
Producer | Laura Jane Grace | |||
Against Me! chronology | ||||
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Singles from Transgender Dysphoria Blues | ||||
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Alternate cover | ||||
Censored version |
Transgender Dysphoria Blues is the sixth studio album by punk band Against Me!. The album was released on January 21, 2014 by Total Treble Music and Xtra Mile Recordings. The album deals with gender dysphoria, following the coming out of Laura Jane Grace as a transgender woman.[2][3]
Recording history
The band first announced work on a new album in November 2011[4] The first sessions for the album were a false start, where the band started recording some basic tracks and then went on tour, and decided to scrap and start over when they got back from tour. Then, the record was completely recorded except for vocals when drummer Jay Weinberg quit the band. The band first tried to have fill-in drummer Atom Willard record drum tracks to match the previously recorded tracks, but it wasn't working.[5] Starting from scratch, the band began recording the album a final time at Studio 606 in February 2013.[6] In May 2013, long-time bassist Andrew Seward also left the band.[7] A month later, Fat Mike of NOFX joined the band in the studio,[8] playing on three songs, two of which appear on the album. That same month, tracking for the album was completed.[9]
Critical reception
Professional ratings | |
---|---|
Aggregate scores | |
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 82/100[10] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Absolute Punk | 9/10[11] |
AllMusic | [12] |
Alternative Press | [13] |
The A.V. Club | B+[14] |
NOW Magazine | [15] |
Paste Magazine | 9.3/10[16] |
Pitchfork Media | 7.5/10[17] |
PopMatters | 8/10[18] |
Rolling Stone | [19] |
Sputnikmusic | [20] |
The Guardian | [21] |
Will Hermes of Rolling Stone rated the album three-and-a-half stars out of five, and called it "A series of bracing songs about a self-destructive girl in a boy's body, it's a thematic offspring of Lou Reed (see Berlin, etc.)", and noted how "it takes balls to come out this way, in this genre" wishing Laura "God-speed, sister."[19] Also, Hermes said that the album musically "sticks to the band's established brand of warrior-cry punk metal", and this "limits the range of what might be an ever braver new world, one glimpsed on the softer acoustic 'Two Coffins.'"[19]
Accolades
Publication | Rank | List |
---|---|---|
American Songwriter | 20 | Top 50 Albums of 2014[22] |
Consequence of Sound | 6 | Top 50 Albums of 2014 [23] |
Noisey | 2 | TOP 25 ALBUMS OF 2014[24] |
PopMatters | 6 | The 80 Best Albums of 2014[25] |
Rolling Stone | 15 | 50 Best Albums of 2014[26] |
Spin | 14 | 50 Best Albums of 2014[27] |
Stereogum | 14 | The 50 Best Albums of 2014[28] |
TIME | 7 | Top 10 Best Albums of 2014[29] |
The Village Voice | 10 | Pazz+Jop Albums of 2014[30] |
Commercial performance
The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at No. 23, their highest debut yet on the chart.[31] It also debuted at No. 6 on Top Rock Albums,[32] with 10,000 copies sold in its first week. It has sold 42,000 copies in the United States as of August 2015.[33]
Track listing
All tracks written by Laura Jane Grace.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Transgender Dysphoria Blues" (often erroneously titled "Talking Transgender Dysphoria Blues") | 3:16 |
2. | "True Trans Soul Rebel" | 3:12 |
3. | "Unconditional Love" | 2:51 |
4. | "Drinking with the Jocks" | 1:48 |
5. | "Osama bin Laden as the Crucified Christ" | 2:57 |
6. | "FUCKMYLIFE666" | 2:56 |
7. | "Dead Friend" | 3:02 |
8. | "Two Coffins" | 2:20 |
9. | "Paralytic States" (also known as "Paralytic States of Dependency"[34]) | 3:12 |
10. | "Black Me Out" | 3:09 |
Total length: |
28:43 |
Personnel
Band
- Laura Jane Grace – lead vocals, guitar, Bass (except for 2 tracks)
- James Bowman – guitar, backing vocals
- Atom Willard – drums, percussion
Additional musicians
- Fat Mike – bass (tracks 3, 6)
Production
- Laura Jane Grace – producer
- Billy Bush (record producer)– recording engineer
Art and design
- Christopher Norris and Laura Jane Grace – art direction
- Steak Mtn – design, typography, and illustration
Charts
Chart (2014) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[35] | 89 |
US Billboard 200[36] | 23 |
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[37] | 2 |
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[38] | 6 |
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[39] | 2 |
References
- ↑ Grow, Kory (24 October 2013). "Against Me!'s 'Transgender Dysphoria Blues' Gets a Release Date". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
- ↑ Ehrlich, Brenna (2 July 2013). "Against Me! Frontwoman Laura Jane Grace Announces Solo Shows". MTV. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
- ↑ Martins, Chris (5 November 2012). "Against Me! Promise 'Transgender Dysphoria Blues' Will 'Absolutely Destroy'". Spin. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
- ↑ "Against Me! beginning work on next album". Punknews.org. November 29, 2011. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
- ↑ Tedder, Michael (January 16, 2014). "Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! on the Tortured Path to 'Transgender Dysphoria Blues'". Spin. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
- ↑ "Against Me! Begin Record New LP; Atom Willard Tracking Drums". Property of Zach. February 4, 2013. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
- ↑ Blistein, Jon (May 2, 2013). "Against Me! Bassist Andrew Seward Quits Band". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
- ↑ "Fat Mike (NOFX) and Atom Willard (The Hell) to record on new Against Me! record". Punknews.org. June 3, 2013. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
- ↑ Obenschain, Philip (June 24, 2013). "Against Me! finish tracking new album, 'Transgender Dysphoria Blues'". Alternative Press. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
- ↑ "Reviews for Transgender Dysphoria Blues by Against Me! - Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
- ↑ Beringer, Drew (2014-01-24). "Against Me! - Transgender Dysphoria Blues". Absolute Punk. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
- ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Transgender Dysphoria Blues - Against Me!: Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
- ↑ Heisel, Scott (2014). "Against Me! – Transgender Dysphoria Blues". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. February 2014 (307): 90. ISSN 1065-1667. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ↑ Heller, Jason (2014-01-21). "On its new album, Against Me! examines the fluidity of identity". Avclub.com. Retrieved 2014-01-23.
- ↑ Kloke, Joshua. "Against Me!". Nowtoronto.com. Retrieved 2014-01-23.
- ↑ Kane, Tyler (2014-01-21). "Against Me! - Album Review". Pastemagazine.com. Retrieved 2014-01-21.
- ↑ Larson, Jeremy D. (2014-01-24). "Against Me!: Transgender Dysphoria Blues". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
- ↑ Fiander, Matthew (2014-01-21). "Album Review". PopMatters.com. Retrieved 2014-01-23.
- 1 2 3 Hermes, Will (January 2014). "Against Me!, 'Transgender Dysphoria Blues' Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
- ↑ Hanson, John (2014-01-13). "Against Me - Transgender Dysphoria Blues". Sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved 2014-01-23.
- ↑ Hanson, John (16 January 2014). "Against Me!: Transgender Dysphoria Blues – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
- ↑ American Songwriter (November 24, 2014). "American Songwriter's Top 50 Albums of 2014". American Songwriter. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
- ↑ "Top 50 Albums of 2014". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
- ↑ "Noisey's Top 25 Albums of 2014: 10 to 1 | NOISEY". NOISEY. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
- ↑ PopMatters (January 18, 2016). "The 80 Best Albums of 2014". PopMatters. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
- ↑ Rolling Stone Staff (December 1, 2014). "50 Best Albums of 2014". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
- ↑ SPIN Staff (December 9, 2014). "Spin's 50 Best Albums of 2014". SPIN. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
- ↑ Stereogum (December 2, 2014). "The 50 Best Albums of 2014". Stereogum. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
- ↑ TIME (December 3, 2014). "TIME's Top 10 Best Albums of 2014". TIME. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
- ↑ "New York News, Food, Culture and Events | Village Voice". Village Voice. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
- ↑ Keith Caulfield (January 31, 2014). "Chart Moves: Against Me!'s Highest Charting Album, Sara Bareilles' Grammy Gain". Billboard.
- ↑ "Top Rock Albums: February 8, 2014". Billboard.
- ↑ "Upcoming Releases". Hits Daily Double. HITS Digital Ventures. Archived from the original on August 25, 2015.
- ↑ "BMI : Repertoire Search". Broadcast Music, Inc. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ↑ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 3 February 2014" (PDF) (1249). Australian Recording Industry Association. Pandora Archive. February 3, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
- ↑ "Against Me! – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Against Me!. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Against Me! – Chart history" Billboard Independent Albums for Against Me!.
- ↑ "Against Me! – Chart history" Billboard Top Rock Albums for Against Me!.
- ↑ "Against Me! – Chart history" Billboard Top Tastemaker Albums for Against Me!.