Search - Anti-Flag :: New Kind of Army

Not Punk By the Book

brian tunick | west new york, nj United States | 12/14/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Movies about sisters who face heartbreaking illness will always draw more people than zombie movies. Most people would take a new Harley Fatboy over a '67 Norton Commando. The new Tom Clancy book will sell more copies than everything Kafka and Kerouac have written combined. Green Day and Blink 182 will always outsell Crass. I don't understand any of these things, but that doesn't make them any less true.



Anti-Flag falls into the same category as the Norton, the zombie movie, and (much more reasonably) Crass. As a 20-year fan of the punk movement, I can honestly say these guys are the real deal. They sound like punk. They write punk lyrics. Their shows have all of the energy, unity and violence of the punk shows of the 80's. They even look punk.



In a time when `punk' has become fashionable, a time when you can buy an Exploited shirt at the mall (finding a CD of theirs might be a bit more challenging), the movement has undoubtedly lost some of its steam. Punk is not about being judgmental, but it's not about boy-meets-girl either. 15 years ago it would be hard to understand why anyone would `pose' as a punk, but today it can be quite lucrative. Finding a band in it for the music and not the Mountain Dew commercial deal is difficult (although it should be noted that several `older' punk bands have released great works over the last year, Soc. D, Bad Religion, Pennywise).



Anti-Flag's entire catalogue is fast, intense and thoughtfully written (A New Kind of Army my personal favorite). They don't fall into that three chord trap; they have a definitive lead guitar, a driving rhythm section, a counterpoint bass. They experiment with vocals, they harmonize, they keep it interesting. That being said, if you want to hear something that was produced at a multi-million dollar studio, note by note, may I suggest you look somewhere else.



If you like punk rock, real punk rock, you will probably like Anti-Flag. If you think punk rock is something played on MTV, you probably will not. If you are a fan of punk, I do urge you to disregard the unfair reviews on AF works, and form an opinion of your own. Isn't that what punk is all about anyway?

"

Foreseeing the Future.

Dustin J. G. Griffin | Calgary, Alberta | 12/04/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Look man, what's with all the slammin' people on this album's review section?? Everyone has their own beliefs and feelings about the world and how it's being run, and bands like Anti-Flag and Propagandhi are always going to make people talk. Which is a good thing, unless it starts to make us turn against each other man. You know? Anti-Flag have a very specific view of the world and in particular their country. Some agree with their view and some don't. But we have to respect each other for our own views.

Anti-Flag are an intelligent, hard rockin' punk band that have been doing it for years and fortold all the crap that's happening in the states right now. Go back ten years and you'll see. They're like the Nastrodamus (however you spell his name) of punk rock.



Listen to them for the music, or listen to them for the message, or don't listen to them at all. But respect those who have their own opinion.



After all the politics and fashions and ideals, punk rock is about unity man. Unity."

True rebel is a real pinhead

Glenn Ramone | California | 11/24/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"To Mr."True Rebel":Are you from the south? Is that why you're such a right-wing neo facsist? What the hell do you think you're doing writing a review for anti-flag? I bet you love the flag more than you love yourself! tell me...do you have cute little american flag pajamas? Does the star spangled banner make you all hot and bothered? Oh yeah, how much is the Bush administration paying you to write this red-neck propaganda garbage? or are you dense enough to write all that for free? stick to what you know you conformist pig!



P.S. Anti-Flag rules!"