Bad Religion

The Gray Race (1996)

Johnathon1069

In 1996, Bad Religion released The Gray Race, their first

album without founding member Brett Gurewitz, who had left the band the year

before due to the growing popularity of his own record label Epitaph. He would

be replaced by Brian Baker, who at that point was best known for his work in

Washington DC’s punk scene. There are noticeable differences between, which had

already existed on their previous release Stanger than Fiction, this and the

band’s Epitaph days. The band had nearly completed the transition from a

hardcore band that understands song structure, to a band that was writing rock

songs that were heavily influenced by punk rock. Another noticeable difference

was the change in lyrical tone on the album, while Greg Graffin had always had

a larger vocabulary than many of his peers, the absence of Gurewitz allowed for

the lyrics to become dressed up in metaphor and less direct than they were

previously. While many at the time felt this meant the band had abandoned its

ideals, on some level at least, I think they just changed their tactical

approach to approaching those ideals.

                With

all of that said, this was definitely a transitional album for the band. The

last time they recorded an album without Gurewitz they released Into the

Unknown, which is something the band disregarded as part of their history until

just recently. The band was also coming out of their classic era; they’d spent

the past decade releasing albums that would be at home in anyone’s “Punk Rock

Starter Kit.” These albums were all very tuneful melodic hardcore music done at

some of the highest levels it has ever been done. However, the band needed to

grow in order to survive and they’d been taking steps towards the sound

captured on this album since 1993’s Recipe for Hate.

                While a

completed metamorphosis in sound and losing a prominent voice in the band’s

creative process aren’t nails in any band’s coffin. When they occur, within a

relatively close time frame, it can lead to the band’s next album becoming more

guarded in its approach. Which, is what time has shown was the case with this

album. It’s not so much the sound of regression, as it is that ever so clichéd perfect

storm of bad circumstances that lead to a band putting out a less than stellar

album.

                Of

course there are good tracks on this album; Greg Graffin is a good songwriter.

He’s also just a very formula based songwriter, and it was vital that he had

Mr. Brett there to add his own flourishes and balance the Graffin numbers out

with his own. It’s no surprise then, that some of the best songs on the album

are numbers that newcomer Brian Baker had a hand in writing. The title track is

a great album opener because it does set the tone for the rest of the album

musically speaking. Other Baker contributions, “Nobody Listens,” “Spirit Shine,”

and “Streets of America” add just enough outside influence to Graffin’s

signature sound to keep the album moving.

                There

were two singles, that did well, off this album too, “A Walk” and “Punk Rock

Song” the former of which has always been one of my least favorite Bad Religion

songs. Hearing it again, especially within the other tracks on the album, I’m

given a better idea as to why. It sounds like a single in the worst sense of

the word, it’s the least substantive and most by the numbers track on the whole

album. The other single, “Punk Rock Song” doesn’t fare much better content wise.

But, the very nature of the song almost makes you wonder if that was the band’s

intent with this one. To simply write something that is just a punk rock song.

                All

in all, this isn’t the worst album of Bad Religion’s acknowledged career, I

would opt “No Substance” holds that title. This album was just bogged down by

too much change all at once. So, they played it safe for one album as they

transitioned into the new lineup and sound and came to terms with the loss of a

prominent member of their once might songwriting team. It certainly has its high points and at the end of the day holds is the strongest of the Bad Religion

albums without Brett Gurewitz. But, this is not the first album most Bad

Religion fans talk about when discussing their favorites and it will certainly

never hold the importance to a culture or a genre as the albums that came