Against Me! - 'Americans Abroad!!! Against Me!!! Live in London!!!'

Through constant touring and consistently great song writing, Against Me! has established itself as one of the best punk bands today. The band’s rise from the underground punk scene has taken it all over the world. But whether in a basement or the Wachovia Center, the group always devotes itself to its live performances. Americans Abroad!!! Against Me!!! Live in London!!! attempts to document just what makes an Against Me! show a near-religious experience.

The album opens with a recording of the instrumental “A Brief Yet Triumphant Introduction” from As the Eternal Cowboy before the band kicks in to “From Her Lips God’s Ear (The Energizer),” the second single from the band’s latest release, In Search of a Former Clarity. From there, the energy is constantly pumped from the speakers to the listener’s ears.

However, all of the material, except for “Americans Abroad,” has already been released on the band’s three full-length albums. Furthermore, while the recording is exceptionally crisp for a live album, thanks to the mixing talents of J. Robbins of Jawbox fame, they still falter compared to their studio-made counterparts in terms of sound and tempo. Robbins and sound engineer Will Shapland do a great job capturing the band’s energy and mixing in the crowd’s response without drowning out the music, but it’s just not enough to make this a “must-have” purchase.

Obsessive Against Me! fans, though, may still find some value in this release. “Americans Abroad” gives listeners more of AM!’s folk-punk as frontman Tom Gabel compares himself to other Americans. It’s a good song.

Based on the crowd noise, as well as reaction shots in the booklet, it’s obvious that the British kids in attendance love Against Me! just as much as Americans do. Hopefully, the band will continue to enjoy success and provide many more great performances. While Americans Abroad!!! may satiate fans until the band’s Sire debut comes out, this is not an essential purchase for anyone else. Rather, those new to Against Me!’s sound would be better off purchasing the band’s debut, Reinventing Axl Rose.