Anti-Flag – “The General Strike”
Album Reviews | Jan 24th, 2012
Record Label: Side One Dummy Records
Genre: Punk
Buy on Amazon
The Pittsburgh fearsome foursome is back with “The General Strike”, the band’s 8th studio album and a sound that is a throwback to the A-F Records days.
The pre-release notes state that this Anti-Flag is experimental, reckless and enraged. While that is true, it doesn’t erase the feeling that it feels like that anger and recklessness is somewhat forced. While the punk rock sound of the past couple of albums is a welcomed sound when compared to a few less than stellar efforts of recent times, it seems like the band is only angry because other people want them to be.
As with every Anti-Flag album, the songwriting revolves around the current political state of affairs, the hopelessness of youth and their sometimes lack of motivation as well as social views and personal affairs, “The General Strike” is no different. Songs like “I Don’t Wanna”, “The Neoliberal Anthem” and “Turn A Blind Eye” have that covered and really and truly sound like Anti-Flag circa 1997. Some of the other songs just seem to blend in with the others.
“The General Strike” is a decent Anti-Flag album and has plenty of songs to please AF fans and political punks alike, but it has some songs that get muddled together and at only 27 minutes short it never really seems to take off and become what it should be…one of those great Anti-Flag albums.
Bottom Line: A decent Anti-Flag album that falls just a little short.
Notable Tracks: I Don’t Wanna, Resist, This Is The New Sound
Overall Rating:
