Released in September 2015, 23 Live Sex Acts is the latest album from Against Me! which spans music from the band’s 18 year career. They are fronted by openly transgender Laura Jane Grace and she makes being transgender absolutely punk rock.
Featuring transgender anthems such as “Transgender Dysphoria Blues” and “True Trans Soul Rebel” 
this album rocks straight through from start to finish and it makes you feel like you are actually there. One of our favorite moments was during the song “New Wave” where Laura Jane literally stops the show to keep a fan from being kicked out of the venue by a security guard. Though we were really digging the song it was a moment that adds to the feeling of being at an Against Me! show.
The album also contains some lyrical rewordings of classic Against Me! favorites including “Pretty Girls (The Mover)” which maybe would have been too revealing at the time the song was originally released. While moving through the songs you are given a reflection of the journey Laura Jane Grace has taken to get to this moment in time.
23 Live Sex Acts does what many live albums seem unable to do these days. It feels authentic and it does not have that “we fixed it after” sound. It brings you back to the old days when live albums contained that certain magic. Against Me! is able to accomplish that here. You really get a feel for Laura Jane’s personality on this record and the band is on point. We loved the live versions of “White Crosses” and “Thrash Unreal”. It concludes with a crowd induced sing along on “Sink, Florida, Sink” and closes with “We Laugh At the Danger And Break All The Rules”.
If you are looking for something that is high energy punk rock, want to get out some stress or just have a fun time listening to music, 23 Live Sex Acts will get you through the day. We found ourselves speeding in the car listening to this one, so be careful. The album also features a great cover which many are talking about and we will certainly not censor it here. We recommend giving this one a listen and if you are transgender and love punk rock, this one should be in your collection.
Against Me! is currently in the studio working on a new studio album to be released in 2016. For now check out 23 Live Sex Acts will hold you over as is a great live snapshot of the bands history and it really rocks.
For more news featuring Against Me!, check out the latest from Rolling Stone.
Mila Madison
I absolutely love Laura Jane Grace and being a musician I identify with her story. She is a beam of hope and a great activist for the transgender community, a true “Trans Soul Rebel” as the song says.
