The New America

The New America
Studio album by Bad Religion
Released May 9, 2000
Recorded October-December 1999 at Victor's Barn, Kauai, Hawaii
Genre Punk rock
Length 40:11 (American Release)
46:27 (Japanese Release)
Label Atlantic(Original)
Epitaph (Re-Release)
Producer Todd Rundgren
Bad Religion chronology
No Substance
(1998)		 The New America
(2000)		 The Process of Belief
(2002)
International edition cover

The New America is an album by punk band Bad Religion. It was released in 2000 and is their last album (to date) on Atlantic Records.

The New America is also Bad Religion's last album with Bobby Schayer on drums. Though not yet credited as a member of the band, then-former and now-current guitarist Brett Gurewitz co-wrote and played guitar on the song "Believe It". The album was re-released by Epitaph Records on September 15, 2008.

Contents

Musical style and lyrics

The album marks a departure for the band, as most of the songs are personal, rather than political in nature. Topics range from singer Greg Graffin's recent divorce to his past growing up as a punk kid in the early '80s. As a result of the more personal lyrics, the album is considered to be one of Bad Religion's strongest lyrical efforts.

Production and marketing

The New America was recorded from October to December 1999 at Victor's Barn, Kauai, Hawaii and produced by Todd Rundgren. Rundgren had been one of the musicians Greg Graffin looked up to while growing up. However, working with Rundgren proved to be a disappointment to the band and especially Graffin, because they did not get along well with each other.[1] Graffin however would later write in his book, Anarchy Evolution, that although Todd Rundgren was difficult to work with, they remain friends to this day.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [2]
Robert Christgau [3]
Rolling Stone [4]

The New America was released on May 9, 2000 and is the last Bad Religion album distributed via Atlantic Records to date. It peaked at number 88 on the Billboard 200 album chart.[5]

The release of The New America marked the band's fulfillment of their four-album contract with Atlantic Records, allowing the band to reconvene with former band-mate, Brett Gurewitz, for their next album, 2002's The Process Of Belief, released on Epitaph Records.

Track listing

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "You've Got a Chance"   Graffin 3:41
2. "It's a Long Way to the Promise Land"   Graffin 2:29
3. "A World Without Melody"   Graffin 2:32
4. "New America"   Graffin 3:25
5. "1000 Memories"   Graffin 3:00
6. "A Streetkid Named Desire"   Graffin 3:17
7. "Whisper in Time"   Graffin 2:32
8. "Believe It"   Graffin, Gurewitz 3:41
9. "I Love My Computer"   Graffin 3:06
10. "The Hopeless Housewife"   Graffin 2:59
11. "There Will Be a Way"   Graffin 2:53
12. "Let It Burn"   Graffin 2:44
13. "Don't Sell Me Short"   Graffin 3:58
Japan and Europe bonus track
No. Title Length
14. "The Fast Life"   2:01
Japanese Version
No. Title Length
15. "Queen of the 21st Century"   4:17
16. "Pretenders"    

Personnel

References

  1. ^ Live at the Palladium DVD
  2. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/r475792
  3. ^ http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=bad+religion
  4. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/227952/the_new_america
  5. ^ "The New America's entry at Billboard.com". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/discography/index.jsp?pid=4026&aid=421963. Retrieved 2007-12-27. 
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