[EP] Against Me!: “True Trans”

At one point in time, Against Me! represented the future of punk rock. I remember my Senior year of high school when I bought their first full-length, Reinventing Axl Rose. You could just feel the energy and desperation in singer/guitarist Tom Gabel’s growl… man, to be 17 and listen to that album for the first time again… Yet, with every release following Reinventing, a little something that made the band so amazing was taken away from the band, coming to a head for myself with their major label debut, New Wave.

Through their songs, a secret was hinted at within Gabel’s songs, coming to a head last year when he came out as suffering gender dysphoria and opening up about his plans to transition. Now known as Laura Jane Grace, she was one of the first public figures to open up about her transition, making headlines across all forms of media. However, many wondered how Against Me! would fare following her announcement, with the bulk of the questions focused on whether or not she’d retain her very distinct style of singing.

With their first album since Grace’s announcement, Transgender Dysphoria Blues, set to come out later this year, the band has released a two-song acoustic EP, True Trans, of songs recorded during the Transgender Dysphoria Blues sessions. The songs, “FuckMyLife666” and “True Trans Soul Rebel” are about Grace’s journey as she made her transition. Finally, that desperation and honesty that was missing from her voice after (arguably) As the Eternal Cowboy sounds like it’s back, especially for the message and story she wants to tell.

You can download True Trans for free right now. All you have to do is enter your email in the widget below. Keep note: The free download is only available for a limited time. Don’t forget to catch Against Me! at this year’s Riot Fest, too!