Anti-Flag - Lies They Tell Our Children (January 6, 2023) Album • Page 5

Someone earlier in the thread said it sounds like a Christmas song. Yes, yes it does and it’s absolutely glorious.

The first night I heard it, I was driving home in a falling snowstorm in MN and the chorus kicked in as I got on the highway. It felt like a goddamn socialist sleigh ride, and it was incredible.

 

I get a little Dropkick Murphy’s in it.

 

They played it yesterday at the acoustic show in Berlin, so I guess they will play it at regular shows too.

 

What “Victory Or Death” reminds me most of is “Some Nights.”

 

It’s completely different than American
Fall, which I freaking love. But this new one…I think this might be their most consistent album front to back. It’s really good!

 

This freakin' rocks.

 

I just do not get this at all. I can’t stand how cheesy it feels listening through. Feels so pretend-punk. Second track has some great instrumentals, though.

 

That’s a take alright

 

Yeah I don’t get that. That comment Sounds similar to the people that comment on FB about punk bands not being punk anymore since they support masks/vaccines lol

 

Being anti Anti-Flag is so punk rock

 

I can say that I am very pro vaccine and masks. Pretend is the wrong word, but their lyrics feel like what a movie about a snarky punk band would have in it when it shows them recording. I’ll leave the thread, cause I am not trying to yuck anyone’s yum, but I did want to just lay down that being anti-science is something I am never about.

 

But the science clearly says Anti-Flag freakin' rocks.

 

I don’t pay much attention to what’s punk and what’s not but I don’t see any reason why antiflag wouldn’t be considered punk haha. They seem to be generally the most ‘punk’ band at any show or festival I’ve ever seen them at. It’s fucking anti-flag, cmon lol

 

I can understand the take FWIW. Anti-Flag have always had a certain bluntness in their lyricism. Like, the cliché about "makes you think!" can definitely be applied to a lot of their early stuff. They've never been Propagandhi or Rise Against in the lyrical department. Not that that's a bad thing, just a factual statement.

I also feel this album they made a conscious swing for a couple of "mainstream" songs. Fight Of Our Lives and NVREVR are great songs but lyrically they're more in the lines of being pump-up anthems, they're not "about" a specific thing. Victory or Death too. Again I have no problem with this - that's probably why they did it, hook people in and then hit them with the politics - but I can see why someone might consider them shallow compared to the rest of their material, when the band has previously put out thoroughly justified and scathing critiques of the White House Press Corps, the Republican party, and so on.

I personally think the album is as biting as ever outside of those tracks. Sold Everything does more anger in 90 seconds than some bands manage in whole albums, lol.

On a different note, re-listening earlier and I really like the vocal interplay on this album. Normally you have Justin songs and Chris songs, here they trade vocals all over the place even before you get to the features, think that's really nice.

 

Okay sure but saying it feels like pretend punk is silly

 

I agree with the thought process of this take. Between that, the real melody that interplays in the last few records (extra guitars, backing vocals, etc) and the way they’re so blunt, it could be seen like it’s punk dumbed down compared to DK or some other bands.

But look at the fucking idiots they’re trying to convert. Have you SEEN other Americans? We need to keep it as simple as possible.

They had a great quote out when American Fall came out about how in their songwriting, they were consciously trying to write better hooks because you can have all the message in the world, but if folks don’t want to listen to it again and again (and be inspired to do something in the process), then it’s all for naught. With the tours they’re getting, I believe this message is hitting more people than ever. I don’t care if it’s not as classically “punk” as Die for the Government. That record still exists and the messages (sadly) hasn’t changed. But this is expanding their net in a great way.

I think they have found the absolute sweet spot for that in the last 3 records and I can’t WAIT to hear this stuff live.

 

I don't think Anti-Flag have anything to prove in regards to being trve punk. They have put out numerous records containing in your face political content. They have earned the right to make a straightforward "fun" song or two. At the end of the day, their band is their business and crusty punk doesn't exactly put food on the table.

 

Please drop your credentials for gatekeeping punk rock.

 

Wish they would fix the volume issue on Apple Music. Who can we even contact to get it resolved?

 

Just listened through again, and Racists came on after the album wrapped. I'll never get sick of that song - the bridge is so fucking good.

 

Between Racists and Christian Nationalist, they really wrote some bangers about the worst people alive.

 

Glad I wasn’t the only one who noticed this. I thought my brand new headphones had been ruined already!

 

Could tweet at the band/members. Chris is pretty active and searches/favorites non-@ing tweets mentioning Anti-Flag all the time.

 

I sent #2 and Justin and the main Anti Flag acct messages on Insta but none of them have been read. I don't do Twitter anymore...

 

Trying to work out where to rank this.

Probably about the same as 20/20 Vision (which I've been re-listening to) The Spinefarm era really has seen them make such a step up in consistency and lyricism. Just look at the album tracks now compared to their earlier stuff.