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
Length 28:43
Label Total Treble, Xtra Mile
Producer Laura Jane Grace
Against Me! chronology

Black Crosses
(2011)		 Transgender Dysphoria Blues
(2014)
Singles from Transgender Dysphoria Blues
  1. "True Trans"
    Released: July 12, 2013
  2. "Unconditional Love"
    Released: May 26, 2014
  3. "Osama bin Laden as the Crucified Christ"
    Released: April 18, 2015

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]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Laura Jane Grace. 

No. Title Length
1. "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"[22]) 3:12
10. "Black Me Out"   3:09
Total length:
 28:43

Personnel

Band

Additional musicians

Production

Art and design

References

  1. ↑ Grow, Kory (24 October 2013). "Against Me!'s 'Transgender Dysphoria Blues' Gets a Release Date". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  2. ↑ Ehrlich, Brenna (2 July 2013). "Against Me! Frontwoman Laura Jane Grace Announces Solo Shows". MTV. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  3. ↑ Martins, Chris (5 November 2012). "Against Me! Promise 'Transgender Dysphoria Blues' Will 'Absolutely Destroy'". Spin. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  4. ↑ "Against Me! beginning work on next album". Punknews.org. November 29, 2011. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  5. ↑ Tedder, Michael (January 16, 2014). "Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! on the Tortured Path to 'Transgender Dysphoria Blues'". Spin. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  6. ↑ "Against Me! Begin Record New LP; Atom Willard Tracking Drums". Property of Zach. February 4, 2013. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  7. ↑ Blistein, Jon (May 2, 2013). "Against Me! Bassist Andrew Seward Quits Band". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  8. ↑ "Fat Mike (NOFX) and Atom Willard (The Hell) to record on new Against Me! record". Punknews.org. June 3, 2013. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  9. ↑ Obenschain, Philip (June 24, 2013). "Against Me! finish tracking new album, ‘Transgender Dysphoria Blues’". Alternative Press. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  10. ↑ "Transgender Dysphoria Blues Reviews - Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  11. ↑ Beringer, Drew (2014-01-24). "Against Me! - Transgender Dysphoria Blues". Absolute Punk. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
  12. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Transgender Dysphoria Blues - Against Me!: Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". Allmusic. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  13. ↑ 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.
  14. ↑ Heller, Jason (2014-01-21). "On its new album, Against Me! examines the fluidity of identity". Avclub.com. Retrieved 2014-01-23.
  15. ↑ Kloke, Joshua. "Against Me!". Nowtoronto.com. Retrieved 2014-01-23.
  16. ↑ Kane, Tyler (2014-01-21). "Against Me! - Album Review". Pastemagazine.com. Retrieved 2014-01-21.
  17. ↑ Larson, Jeremy D. (2014-01-24). "Against Me!: Transgender Dysphoria Blues". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
  18. ↑ Fiander, Matthew (2014-01-21). "Album Review". PopMatters.com. Retrieved 2014-01-23.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Hermes, Will (January 2014). "Against Me!, 'Transgender Dysphoria Blues' Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  20. ↑ Hanson, John (2014-01-13). "Against Me - Transgender Dysphoria Blues". Sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved 2014-01-23.
  21. ↑ Hanson, John (16 January 2014). "Against Me!: Transgender Dysphoria Blues – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  22. ↑ "BMI : Repertoire Search". Broadcast Music, Inc. Retrieved 22 January 2014.