There was a feeling that the album was over-produced and the outcome was, somehow, a very 80's sounding record that was a little wet behind the ears. However, one of the wonderful things about music is the effect repeated listening can have on your opinion and emotions, often causing you to re-assess your initial conclusions.
Not as raw and visceral as Searching for a Former Clarity and (during initial listening) lacking in the anthemic moments that graced New Wave, White Crosses still packs an almighty punch and could well be the band's most consistent album to date.
Lyrically, the old subjects still dominate: death, drugs, lost love, and politics form the core of the album's content with front man Tom Gabel's voice delivering these themes with conviction and intensity. Personally, I think he has one of the best voices around with the power to make you stop and listen.
From a musical point of view, Against Me! pay homage to their punk roots on songs like 'Rapid Decompression' (Rancid) and 'Spanish Moss' (surely a reference to The Clash's 'Spanish Bombs'). There is even, dare I say it, something of British punk rockers The Wildhearts in the vocal reverbs the other band members shout-out in support of Gabel, a key feature of many of the songs on White Crosses.
I am aware that Against Me! are a band that split opinions; much of there original 'hardcore' fan base have deserted them in the wake of a more commercial sound that has attracted a mainstream audience.
It is a difficult position for a band to be in: whether to stick to your roots and continue to struggle financially or make some changes and actually make a decent living from what you love doing. I can appreciate both sides in this argument but - and I'm sure I will be guilty of committing hypocrisy - if it's good enough for Bob Dylan then it's good enough for Against Me!. At the end of the day, a band must strive to progress or risk extinction. Anyway, they are hardly Green Day, are they?
And, to be honest, as a fan of their earlier albums as well as their recent releases, I can find merit in all of their material even though, at times, it is difficult not to be blinkered. It was exactly that way with White Crosses. From an initial reaction of antipathy to one of unadulterated joy, I am pleased to say that Against Me!'s latest album, through its strong riffs and emotive lyrics, is fast becoming one of my favorite albums of 2010 so far.
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