Against Me!

Against Me!: New Wave B-SidesNew Wave B-Sides (2008)
Warner Music Group

Reviewer Rating: 4

User Rating:

Contributed by: DarthNaderDarthNader
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on October 24th 2008So New Wave kind of sucked. Despite the fact that it's grown on me a bit personally, I think we all can agree that it's a far cry from the glory of most of their other work. Whether I'm imagining it or not, somehow it seems like the members of Against Me! know that they dissapointed the majority of .

So New Wave kind of sucked. Despite the fact that it's grown on me a bit personally, I think we all can agree that it's a far cry from the glory of most of their other work. Whether I'm imagining it or not, somehow it seems like the members of Against Me! know that they dissapointed the majority of their fanbase and wanted to say "Hey guys, wait, we're still decent." Thus the band began releasing the New Wave B-Sides here and there, eventually including all of them on the deluxe release of New Wave and on this little Amazon.com EP available for downloading.

While whether it was intentional is debatable, AM! manage to salvage something worthwhile from the New Wave sessions besides "Thrash Unreal." Though it is only five songs long and a bit disjointed, the EP of B-Sides holds up as a much stronger release. "Full Sesh" is the immediate standout, with a punchy rhythm section and a swaggering chorus of "Do you want to battle with me." "You Must Be Willing" also scores a hit, existing as the (partially) acoustic song that never showed up on New Wave, which was (sadly) their first full-length without a solo number from Tom. In the past, songs like "8 Full Hours of Sleep," "Unsubstantiated Rumors..." and "Beginning in an Ending" have been as stellar as the rest of their material. "You Must Be Willing" is not up to the level of the aforementioned songs, but is still a solid addition to the back catalog. "Untitled" (known to some as "Rock and Rollers") and "Gypsy Panther" are rolicking tributes to the touring life ("Panther") and the artists that influenced AM! ("Untitled"). "Gypsy Panther" is the stronger of the two, sporting an absolutely stellar performance from drummer Warren Oakes and a jolting stop-go tempo. "Untitled" has good intentions but falls a bit flat with its rather boring instrumentation. However, "Untitled" feels a bit in tune with material from Searching for a Former Clarity and is better than the majority of the material on New Wave, making it a decent song overall. "So Much More" is the only complete failure. It is one of the more straight-up rock songs AM! have ever penned and unlike AM!'s cover of "Bastards of Young" it seems like the band is going through the motions in a style not their own.

For all the shit New Wave took, something pretty good came out of it. Had AM! replaced "Animal," "Stop!", "Piss and Vinegar" and "White People for Peace" with "Untitled," "Gypsy Panther," "Full Sesh" and "You Must Be Willing," New Wave could have been a solid album. The good thing is that the band haven't lost their knack for writing worthwhile songs -- they've just lost their knack for choosing which songs should be included on their albums. I assume that most people who give a damn have already heard these B-sides in one way or another, but for anyone who hasn't, they are definetly worth getting your hands on. If you lost faith after New Wave, consider this release and the tour with Ted Leo enough to make Florida's most argued about sons worth paying attention to again.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

emcde123 (May 28, 2009)

To the couple of you who don't already know and think that Against Me! are a bunch of sellots for releasing three New Wave versions. They released the deluxe for french fans who had to wait for over a year to buy the album, that is why the extra songs were added. They then released the b sides on the deluxe to us because they didn't want us too have to buy the original 10 songs over again.

nikko (November 7, 2008)

What a horrible review. First of all, New Wave was a great album. White people for white peace is one of the best songs on the album. It seems like the reviewer is trying to be like everyone else hating on New Wave, when it is in fact one of Against Me's best albums.

joeydevil (November 7, 2008)

"Piss and Vinegar" and "White People For Peace" are two of the best songs on New Wave. Score is for the review, not the album. Talk more about the songs.

telegraphrocks (October 27, 2008)

MOMMY! The other mall kids know about Against Me! BOO-HOO!

Score's for dropping a 70-pound piece of steel on your finger at work 3 minutes before you were supposed to get off, but couldn't because you had to fill out an accident-report and go to a doctor so your work wouldn't get sued.

scandelicious (October 27, 2008)

"hmm what should i buy... against me! new wave? or the b-sides... oh sir gabel! help me! help meee!"

"STOP!

TAKE SOME TIME TO THINK
figure out what's important to you"

"oh.. wait.. thats what you guys sound like now? SELLOUTZ!"

*head meets table*

mikexdude (October 26, 2008)

Yeah, New Waves was awesome; I don't care what anyone says.

Score is for JonDaley's typing.

betteroffskankin (October 26, 2008)

stellar

LinoleumMagazine (October 26, 2008)

I loved New Wave and I love this EP. My only complaint about New Wave is that it seemed too short. They should have put all the songs on New Wave originally. It would have been 15 awesome songs and would have felt more complete.

p.s. Animal is a great song (y'all need to get the wax outta yer ears)

SloaneDaley (October 26, 2008)

that was some shitty typing.

SloaneDaley (October 26, 2008)

to call "So Much More" a complete failure is hilarious in my book. "Untitled" is up there with some of the best stuff they've done. "Gypsy Panther" and so is "You must be Willing" is a great tune. "Full Sesh" is actually kind of boring to me.

I disliked New Wave not really for what it was, but for what it could have bee which is admittedly isn't a healthy criticism. This helps reinforce that, in that I enjoyed a lot of these songs more than the album proper. It gives me hope I guess but in the end, the album and the b-sides might get me thinking or bobbing my head but not a whole lot of it makes me feel much at all, except for "Untitled".

llmp (October 25, 2008)

Well, you described my feelings on New Wave pretty well, so maybe I'll give this a listen.

disconnected (October 25, 2008)

You Must Be Willing is simply outstanding

lostandclowned (October 25, 2008)

i like album and the b-sides.

MisFit4Me (October 25, 2008)

So Much More really seemed Replacements influenced. It was awesome.

conebone69 (October 25, 2008)

Actually, "Untitled" is the electric version of another b-side entitled "Graceful Concession".

Aside from "Gypsy Panther", all of these b-sides are solid

People will just continue to bitch and moan no matter what after having their Punky Chips Ahoy heart broken.

hubitcherkokov (October 25, 2008)

To me, Against Me! releases alternate between bland and good.

Reinventing Axel Rose - Bland
As The Eternal Cowboy - Good
Searching For A Former Clarity - Bland
New Wave - Good

cherrycolarain (October 25, 2008)

Ever since I listened to New Wave I loved it. Sure, it's not the Against Me! that wrote "Jordan's First Choice" or "Sink, Florida, Sink!" but they still write extremely solid tunes. Still unquestionably one of my favourite bands.

And the B-Sides are great, I agree "Piss And Vinegar" and "Animal" should have been replaced by "Gypsy Panther" and "You Must Be Willing".

bigbuzzaldrin (October 25, 2008)

i'm so sick of people saying these guys are sellouts citing that they released alot of material out of new wave.

thats fucking stupid. do you somehow think they are rolling in dough from the sales of the new wave b-sides? seriously, you are clueles

Scandelicious (October 25, 2008)

eh i liked the songs on new wave a lot more. i really like new wave, though. against me! is a good rock band, ok?
that being said
1.Reinventing Axl Rose
2.As The Eternal Cowboy
3.New Wave
-
4.Searching For A Former Clarity

Bipedcasserole (October 25, 2008)

i heard Rihanna's gonna sing on the intro for the next remix of "Thrash Unreal."

SydBarrett420 (October 25, 2008)

Score is for releasing 3 albums from one.

1.New Wave
2.Deluxe New Wave
3.New Wave B-Sides

And these guys aren't sellouts because?????

Problematiclogic (October 25, 2008)

I'm so sick and tired of people trying to say the New Wave b-sides are good, they should have switched this song with this song etc. etc.

They are nothing more than completely average.

ChadReligion (October 25, 2008)

The albums, New Wave and it's corresponding b-sides are awesome, and totally solid, but it got old kind of quick. Animal, The Ocean, and So Much More the best songs of this Against Me! era.

ChadReligion (October 25, 2008)

The albums, New Wave and it's corresponding b-sides are awesome, and totally solid, but it got old kind of quick. Animal, The Ocean, and So Much More the best songs of the Against Me! era.

freesandwich (October 25, 2008)

i'm 24 and after a shitty breakup went from 180 to 166 pounds. i've stopped losing weight but i am still a little flabby. how can i harden up my mid section. crunches seem to be working only real slow and really it's not that much. i drink a lot of beer. is my only option to quit all the booze. i do lots of running. 4 miles 5 times a week. any suggestions on how to stop this plateau i've hit and get a little more hard/lean?

Johnny_J (October 25, 2008)

I second that White People For Peace should definately not be cut. Great song.

Johnny_J (October 25, 2008)

Disagree with most of this review. I personally didn't think New Wave "sucked", but is rather enjoyable and a pretty damn good listen. Of course, it doesn't compare to As The Eternal Cowboy or Axl Rose, because the the band isn't the exact same now as they were then.

Most of the B-Sides on New Wave are good, just a couple I thought were bland, and some could have even replaced tracks on the album. Overall... good album, decent b-sides, and a great band.

jacknife737 (October 25, 2008)

You spent too much time bashing New Wave, and not, you know, actually reviewing the songs.

Score is for the review and for saying that they should have dropped White People For Peace.