Against Me!

Against Me!: High Pressure Low [7-inch]High Pressure Low [7-inch] (2010)
Sabot Productions

Reviewer Rating: 2.5

User Rating:

Contributed by: JeloneJelone
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on February 18th 2011Rebounding quickly from their fallout with Sire Records, Against Me! issued an acoustic seven-inch on Sabot Productions. Some folks weren't too keen on the group's last full-length, White Crosses. And by some folks, I mean me. This guy. That record broke my heart. But not even a Twitter lashing, whi.

Rebounding quickly from their fallout with Sire Records, Against Me! issued an acoustic seven-inch on Sabot Productions. Some folks weren't too keen on the group's last full-length, White Crosses. And by some folks, I mean me. This guy. That record broke my heart. But not even a Twitter lashing, which is surely the most responsible and levelheaded way to air grievances, from Gabel himself could stop me from checking out what else AM! had going on.

"High Pressure Low" was one of the stronger tracks on White Crosses, and it's actually better in acoustic form. This version adds some wood blocks, vibraslap and electronic flourishes. It was this kind of adornment that rendered Crosses tunes like "Ache with Me" silly, but here it makes the song a little more fun. Boosted by gang vox and political fervor, "High Pressure Low" is good plugged in, but darn near amazing acoustic.

The same cannot be said for B-side "Strip Mall Parking Lots". It's just Gabel with an acoustic guitar, which is fine, but the lyrics are infuriatingly empty. They're all scene description, no plot. The song is about having nothing to do in south Florida, and it proves the point a little too well. Gabel tosses out a bunch of images, like smoking cigarettes and cops being jerk-butts, but nothing really comes into view. The song is about nothing. Without a big chorus to prop it up, "Strip Mall Parking Lots" comes off as filler.

It's because of this, then, that the seven-inch becomes a placeholder. It's neither as good nor as bad as fans may claim White Crosses to be. It doesn't redeem/diminish the group, but it might appeal to collectors and apologists.

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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.

lostandclowned (February 21, 2011)

I don't think the reviews suck but I would say that the subjectivity can be a bit much. I use it sometimes but where he says, "And by some folks..." until the paragraph ends, it's a little obnoxious.

bradc930 (February 21, 2011)

I like Strip Mall Parking Lots, but don't really care for the rest of the EP.

I was just watching We're Never Going Home and I literally hadn't seen that DVD in years, but I lol'd at the crust kid:

"DUDE THEY PLAYED WITH ANTI-FLAG? THEY'RE LIKE MY ARCH NEMESIS!"

Melu89 (February 20, 2011)

Love that single

advil (February 20, 2011)

I remember hearing strip mall parking lots in a house in Gainesville a while back. It didn't have a name then, but it ripped when the whole band played it. This version isn't bad at all though. I kinda like it.

inagreendase (February 20, 2011)

@supportingme & bouncingcoles: Elaborate?

bouncingcoles (February 19, 2011)

oh and I agree that the reviews on this site suck. and its not because i just disagree with them

bouncingcoles (February 19, 2011)

i enjoy white crosses despite the fact it is very overproduced. I thought other than a very few songs new wave sucked

supportingme (February 19, 2011)

Yes... Strip Mall Parking Mall Parking Lots is only about having nothing to do in Florida. It has nothing to with politics or economics.

The opening paragraph to this review is exactly why reviews on this site suck so much asshole.

eazyd3 (February 19, 2011)

jeloene can go eat a fuckin dick

ashtraymonument (February 18, 2011)

i enjoy this. 7" vinyl record.

chadreligion (February 18, 2011)

High Pressure Low is one of the only 3 tolerable songs on White Crosses. The bass intro is pretty dope, but since the rest of the record kinda sucks, can't say I'm too stoked for the bsides, however the bsides from New Wave were decent, so if I come across this somewhere, I won't ignore it.

StraightToHell82 (February 18, 2011)

"Strip Mall Parking Lots" is so fucking great, but "High Pressure Low" is still just so-so.

sadastronaut (February 18, 2011)

I actually love Strip Mall Parking Lots...

MattRamone (February 18, 2011)

Only jerk butts sing "chicku-ah."

mclz (February 18, 2011)

at kellyd:
yeah its Jordan's label, not Tom's

Also this 7" rules.

xbat-mitex (February 18, 2011)

I am absolutely loving the acoustic version of H.P.L way better than the White Crosses version. I almost prefer Against Me! when its acoustic as oppossed to electric. I'm just weird like that.
The gf however i hates that I play it every day

jacknife737 (February 18, 2011)

It's enjoyable, i prefer the album version of high pressure low: stripmall parking lots is a decent track though.

Tudor (February 18, 2011)

The word "jerk-butt" should be used in every review.

punk_sk (February 18, 2011)

jerk-butts?

kelly_d (February 18, 2011)

Pretty sure Gabel doesn't own Sabot. Doesn't their manager own it?

thepopeofchili-town (February 18, 2011)

As a collector/apologist/fanboy, I enjoyed this. It's nothing compared to the album version, though.