The 13 songs on this album are a call out for unity, an attempt to put a stop to mindless nationalism and educate the punk rock masses! All the sing along choruses that Anti-Flag have become known for, laid over a sonic... more » masterpiece! Including 'Angry, Young and Poor', 'Daddy Warbux' and 'Spaz' s House Party'.« less
The 13 songs on this album are a call out for unity, an attempt to put a stop to mindless nationalism and educate the punk rock masses! All the sing along choruses that Anti-Flag have become known for, laid over a sonic masterpiece! Including 'Angry, Young and Poor', 'Daddy Warbux' and 'Spaz' s House Party'.
"Great combination of art & politics. Shows what committment to an idea can do to musicianship. Too bad the ideas are so self-righteous.
Best cuts: Angry, Young & Poor/Underground Network/Stars & Stripes/Watch the Right, Culture Revolution.
Then there's this little story song about Spaz's House Destruction Party; notice that this is the only song that is about individual people as opposed to large generalized groups, stereotypes or global forces.
If you don't buy their world view (which can be characterized as simplistically critical of capitalism), you could find this boring - musically there is little variation; lyrics are reports, not poetry."
More Important Now Than Ever
Chip | Tewksbury, MA United States | 09/15/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Anti-Flag have been around for a long time, and have improved with each effort. While their early material was "punk by the book" to quote even them, as they matured, their anarcho-politics turned more socialist and much more defined. Few bands today manage to inform as much as Anti-Flag does, without getting boring about it. Musically, they are at the top of their game with this album, and we owe them a great debt for it.Some people will argue that Anti-Flag are unamerica. This is untrue. America was founded on the rights of free speech and I'm sure A-F would agree with the Dead Kennedys lyric, "I'm glad I live in a place, where I can say the things I do without being taken out and shot. So I'm on guard against the goons, trying to take my rights away, we need to rise above the need for cops and laws." Anti-Flag pays homage to the Native Americans (who were here FIRST) in the punk fueled "Stars and Stripes" and the "American Folk Hero," Woody Guthrie (who was a communist) on the song, "This Machine Kills Fascists" (what was written on Guthrie's guitar). In fact, Anti-Flag may be the most important band around in this time of Patriot Acts and HUAC-style snooping. If they hated America, they would move, problem solved. But they don't, they love their land and will fight anyone who tries to drag it the way of the old fashioned, outdated right.
Watch for their new album "the terror state" coming out in October."
BEST AF RECORD Better Than Todays Empires, Tomorrows Ashes?
Adam See | Ont, Canada | 07/23/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Well, maybe. I enjoy both records emensly. Now, right away you should be considering this record, common, im comparing a record to the best Propagandhi record ever and probably the most well written and best musicianship filled punk record ever. The new Anti-Flag is nothing short of amazing. I own all of Anti-Flags records to date and this is by far the best, but thats not to say that all of their records are amazing. If they have one record that i'm a little less fond of than the rest it would be A New Kind Of Army, but only because the vocals are hard to understand on that one. Underground Netword is incredably catchy and the lyrical content is Anti-Flags best to date. EVERY song of this cd is very good. There is not one I do not listen to. Even Todays Empires has 1 song I don't like (ego fum papa) buts thats just because of the long, tedious intro. Buy this cd, if your new the band, this is the place to start. If you have any of there other cds and for some reason didn't like them. I would still highly recommend checking this one out, its one of the best records i'v ever heard in my life."
Wow... was I surprised
darkstarsk8r | Las Vegas | 04/30/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I bought this expecting total crap, since they made the switch from Go Kart (A-F Records) to Fat. Instead, I got one of the best, if not the best Anti-Flag album to date. It's a close call between this and "A New Kind Of Army". This is Anti-Flag's most mature (heh) album ever. This has to be the most political release of 2001, with every single song blazing with issues from the bombings in Vieques, Puerto Rico, how Panama was deceived, George W. Bush, and more. They lyrics are intelligent as usual. This time, you can understand what Justin's saying. My favorite song on the cd, "Bring Out Your Dead", was written and sang by #2 Chris, which I think should be done more often because he is very talented. Not only does this cd have a disk full of great songs, but a booklet full of lyrics and little essays of sorts written by political speakers. Some of the songs on here were inspired by Howard Zinn, a well known speaker. All in all, this is a great Anti-Flag cd. From making the switch of record labels, AF has not lost any of their speed, skill, or musicianship. If you're new to Anti-Flag, I would suggest you buy this and "A New Kind Of Army" because both are great. Even if you aren't new to Anti-Flag and you don't have it, you should have it."