Anti-Flag: The Bright Lights of America

Bright Lights Of America

This album has honestly left me not knowing what to say. I got an advance copy of the record and started listening to it five or more times a day. It’s now been almost a week since it’s official release and I’ve yet to review the record like I wanted to. I thought that since I finally have a second to take a breath deep and think, I might finally try to say…something. Now or never, right?

Anti-flag’s new album, titled “The Bright Lights of America”, is amazing. After loving Anti-flag for every minute of my early college career, I became fairly partial to them. Even when “The Terror State” came out, which for some reason rubbed me the wrong way, I still stood by them. With the release of “For Blood and Empire” the thought came to me that “Anti-flag has finally perfected what they do. There have been parts of songs in other albums that kinda felt funny, but now it’s ALL right.” However, “For Blood and Empire” in no way prepared me for “The Bright Lights of America.”

I think “The Bright Lights of America” comes close to being one of those albums that approaches being something more than just a record: more than being simply a collection of songs, it is a work of art. The instrumentation used in the music, the amazing lyrics and vocal performances, and the way the great flow of the album all work together to make this album feel complete.

Musically, there is just so much going on in this album. There are lots of great back-up vocal harmonies courtesy of Anti-flag and a children’s choir. I can also hear a distinctive female vocal on a couple choruses too which lends a nice sense of urgency. To further add to the layered sound of this album is the use of cello, harmonica, banjo, chimes, tubular bells, piano, organ, tambourine, brass horns, slide guitar and orchestral percussion parts. Also present is the tasteful use of various audio clips and digital sounds and mixing. I love nothing better than an album that you can listen to for months and still hear new material in (see Propagandhi’s “Potemkin City Limits” or “Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes”).

“The Bright Lights of America” is terrific in the vocal and lyrical category. By far the best content and feeling that Anti-flag has produced to date. Anti-flag albums have traditionally dealt with political issues or punk rock related diatribes. However, this album has ventured into the area of internal struggles. This is most apparent in “Vices”, which I could write a whole article about, and “Go West”. Also, the vocal performances on this album are superbly emotional and impassioned. It feels like a lot of heart went into this recording. Also, the lyrical timing, phrasing, and arranging is near perfect. No words feel out of place, nothing is rushed and the vocal trade-offs between Chris #2 and Justin Sane add a sense of excitement.

I must say that this is definitely an Album. It is not just a CD with a bunch of songs that were thrown together and given the bands seal of approval. Each song feels thought out. The album has no dead spots. It does not lose momentum after the first couple songs (see Bad Religion’s “New Maps of Hell”). It’s been a long time since I had a punk album that I didn’t need to skip songs on.

While I can totally understand that some older Anti-flag fans could lament the creation of this album and half-grudgingly continue to listen to “Their System Doesn’t Work for You” with the word “sellout” on their lips, I love what Anti-flag has evolved into. Every band will eventually change. A band is like a person. It can grow and change, hopefully for the better. This band has grown into something amazing. Maybe it’s the team up with producer Tony Visconti or maybe all the praise is owed to Anti-flag, but this album is a magnificent culmination of 20 years of punk rock.

I’d really like to point out a couple highlights while you’re here:

1. In “The Bright Lights of America” track, listen to the “just like an ocean” back-up vocal. Sweet!

2. “Vices”, period. But more specifically, Chris #2’s vocal performance on “This is the first set of words that I’ll put to these chords to indemnify me of the blood that runs through the veins in my arms.” Great, great lyric, by the way.

3. Please see my post on “Spit In The Face” here: Spit In The Face

4. The drum beat in the intro, verse, and outro of “We Are The Lost” (which reminds me of the breakdown from Trial’s “When There’s Nothing Left To Lose”) is awesome, especially when it’s paired up with the strings in the second verse.

5. The final sing along in “Go West”. That whole song is amazing.

6. The break in “Shadow of the Dead” at approximately 2:16.

7. “Tar and Sagebrush”, an interpretation of “Tar and Sagebrush” from Candace Serena Falk’s “Love, Anarchy, and Emma Goldman”. In 1912 Emma Goldman, an influential anarchist free-speech advocate, and her manager Ben Reitman traveled to San Diego to support the Industrial Workers of the World. While there, Reitman was abducted by a vigilante group and taken into the country where he was beaten, covered in tar and sagebrush, and forced to sing the “Star Spangled Banner”.

Here is a list of things that I did not enjoy from this album.

1. On “Good and Ready” pay close attention at 3:27. Please listen to me very carefully, when you perform a pick slide on an acoustic guitar…we all lose.

Even #2 can’t stand it.
Pick slide