“Gender identity disorder (GID), also known as gender dysphoria, is a formal diagnosis used by psychologists and physicians to describe people who experience significant dysphoria (discontent) with the sex they were assigned at birth and/or the gender roles associated with that sex. Affected individuals are commonly referred to as transsexual or transgender.” – Wikipedia
If you’re not sure why I started the review with that definition and why this album is named what it’s named click on this link go here. Now that we have that out of the way let’s get on with the review of this amazing album.
I’ve been a fan of Against Me! for a bout a decade at this point and they are one of the few bands that no matter how much I listen to them I just can’t get sick of them. There is something about their music that vibrates the inner workings of my ears just right and this album is no exception to that aural tickling phenomena. Though if I’m being honest, and we’re all friends here so why shouldn’t I be, I was nervous as hell about this album.
When Thomas James Gabel (now Laura Jane Grace) announced he was going to undergo gender reassignment my first thought was “shit, there goes one of my favorite bands”. Selfish I know, but after that initial thought I quickly realized it wasn’t about me and that I needed to stop being a dick and support a fellow human being who had already contributed so much to the culture of humanity and my own personal enjoyment of life. Though I had a superb reason for being a selfish dick. I really really liked the sound of Thomas/Laura’s voice and I didn’t want it to change. See… I told you it was a good reason.
Comparing this to some of their earlier works like Against Me! Is Reinventing Axl Rose or Against Me! as the Eternal Cowboy Grace’s voice has indeed gotten softer and more refined. There is less gravel in the throat and more melody in the long notes. Some of that could be due to growth as an artist, but even when listening to White Crosses there is a noticeable difference in the tone and timber of her voice and that’s going to continue to happen more as the transformation goes through. Though now I have to figure out if I should categorize that under performance enhancing drugs or not because I’m really digging what she’s belting out.
While we are still on theme of comparisons, the lyrics on Transgender Dysphoria Blues feel a lot more personal than anything we’ve heard so far. Like Grace is really letting out everything that has been swimming around in her head over the years. At times the lyrics are deeply heartbreaking despite the facade of an upbeat guitar riff and creates the perfect metaphor for what I can only half-assedly imagine the last 33 years must have been like for her. An overwhelming pain hiding just beneath happiness and anger.
Lyrics like “You want them to notice the ragged ends of your summer dress. You want them to see you like they see any other girl. They just see a faggot, they hold their breath not to catch the sick” are depressing at best. Every verse of “True Trans Soul Rebel” is more gut-wrenching than the last and after the third or fourth time through its’ hard to even hear the poppy tunes over the lugubrious lyrics. It’s depressing and fantastic all at once.
So what did I think of this album as a whole? I love it. I truly do and you can bet that it will show up on my “Best albums of 2014” in 11 months. There is an honesty to this album that is refreshing and it feels like a true work of art, with bone-crushing despair being combined with catchy hooks you could dance the night away to. It’s the feel-good depression of the year and I can’t get enough of it. All quips aside, I wish Grace nothing but the best on her journey to herself. I know I can’t even begin to understand what life has been like for her, but I feel honored as a fan to get this glimpse.
Rating: 5/5