White Crosses (album)

White Crosses
Studio album by Against Me!
Released	June 8, 2010
Recorded	August–October 2009 at Eldorado Recording Studios, Hollywood
Genre	Punk rock, alternative rock
Length	36:06
Label	Sire
Producer	Butch Vig, Alan Moulder (mixer)
Against Me! chronology
The Original Cowboy (2009) White Crosses (2010) Total Clarity (2011)
Singles from White Crosses
"I Was a Teenage Anarchist" Released: April 6, 2010 (2010-04-06) "High Pressure Low" Released: December 21, 2010 (2010-12-21)

White Crosses is Against Me!'s fifth studio album, and their second to be released on Sire Records. As with its predecessor, 2007's New Wave, the album was produced by Butch Vig. It is also the first (and only) Against Me! album to feature George Rebelo, drummer of Hot Water Music, following the departure of previous drummer Warren Oakes.

Recording began in August 2009, finishing two months later. The mixing and mastering of the album finished in February 2010, and it was released June 8. The initial pressing of the record included four bonus tracks. The album leaked March 12, 2010, a full three months before its scheduled release date, to which Tom Gabel responded on his blog that it was simply "no drama," followed by lyrics for all the songs.

On March 17, 2010 their first video from the album, "Rapid Decompression," was released online via AOL. A four-track digital EP for "I Was a Teenage Anarchist" was released as the first single from the album, on April 20, 2010.

The two outtakes from White Crosses are "David Johansen's Soul", of which an acoustic version was released on Black Crosses, and "Dead Generations".

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AbsolutePunk	83%
Allmusic
Entertainment Weekly	B+
PopMatters	7/10
Punknews.org
Slant Magazine
Spin

White Crosses received generally favourable critical acclaim, despite being leaked three months before its retail release date. The album was mainly praised for its success in merging Against Me!'s long-time punk rock style with, according to critics, a new found ethos of "arena-" or "radio rock", through its melody and "big" sound.

White Crosses is Against Me!'s best-charting album to date, peaking at #34 on the Billboard 200.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Tom Gabel. 

No.	Title	Length
1.	"White Crosses"	3:36
2.	"I Was a Teenage Anarchist"	3:15
3.	"Because of the Shame"	4:21
4.	"Suffocation"	3:56
5.	"We're Breaking Up"	3:57
6.	"High Pressure Low"	4:13
7.	"Ache with Me"	3:38
8.	"Spanish Moss"	3:51
9.	"Rapid Decompression"	1:46
10.	"Bamboo Bones"	3:35
Total length:		36:06

Bonus tracks

Limited edition
No.	Title	Length
11.	"One by One"	3:34
12.	"Bob Dylan Dream"	2:59
13.	"Lehigh Acres"	3:33
14.	"Bitter Divisions"	4:02
Total length:		50:10

Re-issue
No.	Title	Length
11.	"Lehigh Acres"	3:33
12.	"Bob Dylan Dream"	2:59
13.	"One by One"	3:34
14.	"Bitter Divisions"	4:02
Total length:		50:10

iTunes Deluxe edition
No.	Title	Length
15.	"I Was a Teenage Anarchist" (acoustic)	3:38
Total length:		53:47

Black Crosses

Black Crosses
Demo album by Against Me!
Released	July 26, 2011
Recorded	2009, Goldentone Studios, Gainesville, Florida February 2010, Crescendo Studios
Genre	Punk rock, alternative rock
Length	43:07
Label	Total Treble Music, Xtra Mile Recordings
Producer	Against Me!
Against Me! chronology
Total Clarity (2011) Black Crosses (2011)

In 2011 Against Me! launched their own record label, Total Treble Music, reissuing White Crosses with an added disc titled Black Crosses consisting of demos from 2009 and acoustic sessions from 2010. The reissue features original artwork by Steak Mtn and a 32-page booklet with lyrics and additional artwork. The reissue was released July 26, 2011 on compact disc and as a music download, and August 9 as a triple LP.

Track listing

All lyrics written by Tom Gabel, all music composed by Against Me!.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"White Crosses" (Goldentone Studio)	3:14
2.	"I Was a Teenage Anarchist" (acoustic)	3:39
3.	"Because of the Shame" (acoustic)	4:28
4.	"The Western World" (Goldentone Studio)	3:55
5.	"Strip Mall Parking Lots" (Goldentone Studio)	2:21
6.	"High Pressure Low" (acoustic)	4:18
7.	"Hot Shots" (Goldentone Studio)	1:49
8.	"Spanish Moss" (Goldentone Studio)	2:22
9.	"Rapid Decompression" (Goldentone Studio)	1:45
10.	"Soul Surrender" (Goldentone Studio)	2:06
11.	"Lehigh Acres" (Goldentone Studio)	3:36
12.	"David Johansen's Soul" (acoustic)	2:49
13.	"One by One" (acoustic)	3:35
14.	"Bitter Divisions" (Goldentone Studio)	3:10
Total length:		43:07

Personnel

Band

• Tom Gabel – lead vocals, guitar
• James Bowman – guitar, backing vocals
• Andrew Seward – bass guitar, backing vocals
• George Rebelo – drums, backing vocals
• Warren Oakes – drums, backing vocals on Black Crosses (tracks 1, 4–5, 7–11, 14)

Additional musicians

• Zac Rae – additional keyboards (tracks 3, 5, 7)
• Jon Gaunt – fiddle on White Crosses (track 12), Black Crosses (track 7)
• Ron McGregor – mouth harp on White Crosses (track 12)

Production

• Butch Vig – producer
• Billy Bush – recording engineer
• Chris Steffen – assistant engineer
• Alan Moulder – mix engineer
• Darren Lawson – mix assistant
• Emily Lazar and Joe LaPorta – mastering

Art and design

• Christopher Norris and Tom Gabel – art direction
• Steak Mtn – design, typography, and illustration
• Autumn deWilde – band photography

External links

• "Against Me! Actually Were Teenage Anarchists" by Kate Harper. CHARTattack. September 22, 2010.