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Against Me!

Thrash Unreal [7 inch] (2007)
Warner Music Group

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Contributed by: Bryne
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on August 3rd 2007

Sick of Against Me! yet? If so, click the back button on your browser. Otherwise, read on.

This limited edition 7" was a promotional giveaway to online orderers of Against Me!'s recent polarizing full-length, New Wave. "Thrash Unreal," taken from said full-length, makes up Side A and isn't any different here than on the album. Not that it'd have to be, as it's arguably the strongest track on New Wave. The song is as anthemic, if not moreso, than other perennial band classics like "Pints of Guinness Make You Strong" and "Cliché Guevara." Yeah, I went there. Whether it's the infectious "bah bah bah"s in the chorus or the sharp lyrics, it's damn near impossible to not tap your foot and sing along. Which is weird, because it's not exactly a fast song. It seems to plod along at a slower pace, but it's over before you know it, much like the rest of New Wave.

The B-side is "You Must Be Willing," a non-album track. The song's a definite grower, as its four-and-a-half-minute length and methodical pace make it a chore to listen to the first couple of times. It does have the acoustic guitar that was strangely missing from New Wave, which is good, but lyrically it's super wordy while being so cliché-ridden it ends up saying very little. It's not a bad track per se, but it's easy to hear why it didn't make it onto New Wave.

The front cover artwork is really cool, as I'm sure you can see. However, at least on my copy, the lyrics were horribly misprinted on the back cover. Seriously. Tons of spelling mistakes and even complete lines omitted in some parts. The person who was supposed to proofread that ought to be fired.

So there you go. A cool collector's item if one is so inclined.

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televisioneyes (March 4, 2008)

this is my favorite song on the new album...i wish the whole album was as good as this individual song though

Anonymous (August 6, 2007)

this band is boring. i don't understand why people act this band is like black fucking flag.

Anonymous (August 6, 2007)

I don't undertstand why this bands gets all this attention. Do people honestly think that this is a new sound?

Anonymous (August 5, 2007)

Does anyone know how stoked Scott is?

patman (August 5, 2007)

there's acoustic guitar on the song New Wave. It's just in the background, something to make the song more radio friendly

punkinohio (August 4, 2007)

I heard from mtv that this band is awesome, so i'll check them out on mtv. Com because that is my source for 'new' music.

telegraphrocks (August 4, 2007)

Two awesome songs.

Seriously, that many copies fell apart? I have two, and one of them fell apart the 2nd day I owned it... so I just re-glued it myself.
My second copy is still holding up.

P.S.
I'm lovin' the gold vinyl!

Dante3000 (August 4, 2007)

You know this is all well and good but, what I want to know is, what does Wyzo thin about New Wave? Can anyone tell me?
-Dante

Scruffy (August 4, 2007)

Thank you wyzo. You're the first person I've seen post on here that apparently feels the same way I do about New Wave.

Anonymous (August 4, 2007)

my review of the new record in bite size form.

I disliked eternal cowboy because it sounded like a band confused about who they were. Live the songs worked, the record I have never revisited and don't plan to.

The twist is I actually grew into Clarity, it felt like they got through their confusion and formed a cohesive band again. It hit all the right notes, even when making a chorus 'Condoleeza!' which is fucking stupid, it still worked for me. That song still pulled such a stunt off.

So I was ready to like this record, major label or no.

That being said, new wave fails not because its bad, but because its standard. Its 10 songs, modest. Modestly priced, marketed, and praised.

Its the safest record not of their career, but of any band of recent note I can think of. Its plain. I like the single white people for peace, yet each song begins to blur together, another plain rock song. It's not bad, "stop" is more ridiculous than shouting condie's name, and they don't pull this one off.

The praise for it is bizarre, just because it seems so paid for, like its okay for them to praise them with the sire stamp.

So no grudges if you buy it and like it, but it is no revelation, and if they had never recorded it, no one would have noticed. It's no growth, no rock, and modestly entertaining.

wyzo

ElVaquero (August 4, 2007)

they were handing these out for free at the record store i work at. anyone want to buy one from me?

frostbrewliner (August 3, 2007)

My packaging was completely fucked upon arrival as well. As for "you must be willing" i though it was pretty meh.

letmego (August 3, 2007)

Wow You Must Be Willing is such a good song

el_matt (August 3, 2007)

Oh i am so glad that other people's disc sleeves broke as well. This is the first vinyl i have owned and the moment i went to take it out, the packaging came apart. Needless to say, i felt pretty stupid.

SloaneDaley (August 3, 2007)

this 7-inch is fantastic the album is still pretty just okay.

niveK82 (August 3, 2007)

I opened this review in a new tab so back does nothing.

My copy came with a scratch on side b that makes it not play.
My score is for that

red_eye_inc (August 3, 2007)

I'm seeing these guys in two hours at Lollapalooza. They're gonna rock the faces off all those G. Love & Special Sauce fans.

ashtraymonument (August 3, 2007)

i don't think thrash unreal is the best song on New Wave at all...the bah bah bahs are so fucking annoying...and more anthemic than pints or cliche? nahh...

Anonymous (August 3, 2007)

best song from the best album of the year. fuck the haters.

Anonymous (August 3, 2007)

pure shit. this is crap all the way to the toilet.

baseball (August 3, 2007)

ditto on the packaging, it fell part within a day

i'll keep saying that if they switched "Stop" with "Full Sesh" and "Animal" with "You Must Be Willing" then New Wave would have been good, not mediocre

score is for "You Must Be Willing", sounds like it could have gone on Clarity....an album i really liked

Anonymous (August 3, 2007)

Two best songs on New Wave.

Anonymous (August 3, 2007)

Dear Steak Mtn....i love you.

As for the 7" it's ok. Shocking sleeve quality, the copy i had was literally falling apart at the sides glue quality was terrible!

kingofsuck (August 3, 2007)

My copy's jacket came unglued like a day after I got it. Score's for that.

PJZ (August 3, 2007)

dude their new album is a good rock album. not the best against me! album. not a folk/punk album. but a good rock album.
here's how i see it:
Taking Back Sunday - Tell All Your Friends: Great Emo Album
Against Me!-Reinventing Axl Rose:Great Folk/Punk Album(if not the best)
Taking Back Sunday-Lowder Now: Bad Rock Album
Against Me!-New Wave:Good Rock Album

colin (August 3, 2007)

man this one isn't asking for trouble or anything.

people need to stop caring about this band.

Dante3000 (August 3, 2007)

I think it's kinda cool that this is getting reviewed but wasn't the only way to get it with a preorder of the album? So people who ordered the album have it already and there's no real other way to get it (theoretically).
Eh, whatever.
-Dante

Anonymous (August 3, 2007)

how can these guys sleep at night? s3ll outz!!!!

Anonymous (August 3, 2007)

Sunday suit never fit quite right....

Anonymous (August 3, 2007)

First