Against Me! releases new album 'Transgender Dysphoria Blues' to critical acclaim

Against Me! releases new album 'Transgender Dysphoria Blues' to critical acclaim

By Drew Schilson, Entertainment Media Intern at GLAAD |

January 23, 2014

The punk band Against Me! released their new album Transgender Dysphoria Blues this week, and are already racking up some great reviews.

It's been four years since the band released their last album. This was, in part, to give lead vocalist Laura Jane Grace time and space to transition, a process she began in 2012. The album has been received positively, with Time magazine calling the album "impressive" and memorable because "it brandishes a genre saturated by empty, male-centered politics" with a fresh "be yourself" message. Rolling Stone called it "inspiring" and gave it 3.5 stars out of five, Charlotte Richardson Andrews of the Guardian gave it 4 out of 5 stars, Tyler Kane at Paste Magazine "really, really loved" it, and The Atlantic's Nolan Feeney sees Transgender Dyshporia Blues as an optimistic survival guide.

The significance of Transgender Dysphoria Blues couldn't be more pronounced. Jon Caramanica of the New York Times explains the "new questions" the album - and Grace's performance of it at a shwo in Williamsburg - raises about gender dynamics and music. Sasha Geffen at Consequence of Sound describes the title track as Grace's "chance to be specific... in a culture where being visibly trans in public is often read as justification for physical violence." The album certainly has the potential to begin a conversation about trans politics and people.

About the "folk hero" status she gained from the media attention surrounding her transition, Grace said in an interview with Radio.com:

"Part of coming out and being public with it is that I was really isolated where I was in St. Augustine (Florida). I didn't know a single other transsexual or transgender person. So having the opportunity to meet people, just through being open... If they're looking for support from me, I'm looking for an equal amount of support from them."

You can purchase the album now on Amazon or iTunes.
http://www.glaad.org/blog/against-me-releases-new-album-transgender-dysphoria-blues-critical-acclaim

Why does this need it's own topic. Put it into the "articles about AM! Topic OR put it in te album topic. Stop spamming the board. Please.

When I post topics like this I get less attacks that when I open up with my real feelings and thoughts. Those get nasty and hateful replies. Funny these don't. I would think it would be the other way around but its not. I post like this just so I don't get the nasty replies. I hope you understand what I mean.

No sarcasm in this post just trying to open up. To be truthful I'm kind of scared to post my own thought and feelings here. Those get the worst replies. Why I copy and past is : the worst I get is "please stop. These for some reason are safer for me.

You know there are probably transgender support group forums out there if you need to share feelings. Overall I think people are here to talk about music, not so much transgender politics. I dunno.

And if there's a place to put these types of posts, put them there.