Laura Jane Grace – Hole In My Head
Release Date: 16th February 2024
If, like so many others, you were gutted to hear of Against Me!’s hiatus announcement back in 2022 then you need weep no more as Laura Jane Grace is back to fill that void with their brand new record entitled Hole In My Head and it’s definitely not one you should be sleeping on.
It would be a stretch to believe that you’d not heard of Grace’s presence in the genre over the years with her success fronting Against Me!, her project with Laura Jane Grace & The Devouring Mothers and penning her acclaimed memoir TRANNY: Confessions of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist which is now one of Billboard’s “100 Greatest Music Books of All Time”. However, Hole In My Head would be an excellent place to start for the uninitiated.
The title is thought to have been inspired by the last place Grace had left to tattoo; the head. Shortly after having her head adorned with bold stroked roses and the wings of a bird of prey by the tattoo artist Gakkin, Grace was gifted a black hollow-body Gretsch guitar to commemorate. In turn, Grace found themselves writing ‘Birds Talk Too’, the sixth track on the record, bringing a warm sentimentality to the song itself.
‘I’m Not A Cop’ brings a light humour to the record with a playful beach boys-like backing vocal that seems to chant “pig” a number of times to set the often-anarchistic tone. A quick YouTube search shows Grace performing this track live donning a police uniform and singing the cutting chorus lyric of “I’m Not A F*CKING Cop” which demonstrates her tongue-in-cheek style further in a live setting.
‘Punk Rock In Basements’ provides some great insights into what starting out in a Punk Rock band is like in all its glory. Likely taking inspiration from past rehearsals where the band could “never hear the microphone” whilst playing it with all their heart and soul in sweaty rehearsal spaces. The song is then quickly juxtaposed by ‘Hard Feelings’ that lyrically touches on the many pitfalls of such a lifestyle.
This record is a testament to Grace’s phenomenal songwriting ability to tackle deep subject matter and all the delicate emotions they entail whilst injecting a dose of light-heartedness throughout. A rather fact-of-the-matter and candid approach to the lyrics that keep these upbeat punk tracks from being only skin-deep. The simple fact that these songs hit just as hard on stage with only an acoustic guitar and vocals only confirms that Grace has mastered the craft.
“It is a welcome embrace of life and just the start of a new chapter in Laura Jane Grace’s raucous journey.”
FFO: Against Me! / Rise Against
Recommended Track ‘Hole In My Head’ – this track is bright and encapsulates the themes of this record whilst packing a punch with driving punk guitars that any Against Me! fan would appreciate.