AGAINST ME! - Shape Shift With Me LP

Label: Total Treble

Shape Shift with Me, an album recorded with a new lineup of Against Me! that's still anchored by Grace and guitarist James Bowman, goes a long way toward addressing that question.

At times, Against Me! can recall college rock heroes of the past -- Hüsker Dü hang heavy over the proceedings, particularly on "12:03," a coiled expression of love angst -- but whenever Grace flirts with the past she suggests a future: she's claiming an unspoken queer tradition that flows through the American underground, one that comes to the surface on this album.

For her own Transgender Dysphoria Blues felt like an unrestrained howl but on Shape Shift with Me, Grace feels comfortable within her own skin, happy to not have every song on her album be a statement. Consequently, Shape Shift with Me feels considerably lighter than its predecessor: Grace is reveling in her mess, resulting in an album that is lighter, fleeter, hookier, and more fun than its predecessor.