AGAINST ME! SEARCHING FOR A FORMER CLARITY FAT WRECK CHORDS

For a band who started out as one-man acoustic act, Against Me! have come a long way to headline the Fat Tour with the likes of Smoke or Fire and the Soviettes. Their third LP — as one would expect with any release from Fat Wreck Chords — is pure punk, but it draws from a wider range of influences than your average Florida act. Inspired by the political will of Crass, Tom Gabel spits out lyrics in a raunchy growl, taking shots at Condoleezza Rice, the mainstream music biz, and, since they’re from Gainesville, Miami. But just as their ascension to headlining status is a departure from their DIY convictions, so the songs on Searching for a Former Clarity leave the usual "louder is better" formula behind, and by the end of the album the electric guitars have given way to acoustic-driven throwbacks to Gabel’s early works, back before Against Me! became a full-fledged band.

Against Me! + Smoke or Fire + The Epoxies + The Soviettes | Club Lido, 1290 N Shore Rd, Revere | Dec 4 | 617.931.2000