Tom Gabel is one of the most unique, brave and profound artists of this generation. His deep-rooted history in punk with his critically and commercially successful band (that he is the front-man for) Against Me! To his more folk-style, acoustic and painfully honest and revealing tracks from his solo project Heart Burns.
Tom has relatively recently become famous from his gender transition from a hardcore, unapologetic punk rock man, to the exact same adjectives but applied to a woman. Laura Jane Grace may not look exactly like Tom Gabel, but her attitude and heart is the exact same.
Though his gender identity may have changed, nothing else about him has.
Heart Burns is one of the most honest, personal agenda-driven albums of the past several years. But it being a self-serving piece of art that Tom clearly wrote for himself doesn’t give it, or him as an artist any less merit. Every track has a sense that Tom is not, in any way, making his music (on this record) for an audience. Only an audience of one. Himself. Heart Burns is a personal diary of sorts, one which Tom was kind enough to display for the world to see.
Tom is through and through a punk, so he’s almost forced to throw in at least one politically driven protest. Anna is a Stool Pigeon, if you find the song, is about Eric McDavid. Eric was convicted on conspiring to use explosives on government property. It has been thought by some that he was unjustly prosecuted due to entrapment. Tom shares this view. Whether or not you know of Eric or not or even have any political affiliations at all is irrelevant. One of Tom’s gifts is that he brings you into his world and, whether the lyrics (which are beautiful) jive with you or not, Tom plays and sings with such conviction that he gives you no choice but to listen. And listen intently.
When punk singers or any singers of a band for that matter make a solo album, the singer can sometimes be almost unidentifiable. Their style, attitude, even voice can be almost completely different on their solo ventures as they are in a band setting. But not Tom Gabel. Tom’s energy and need to get things off his chest by way of song is no different when he’s heading Against Me! or doing his own solo tracks. His raspy, yelling/stinging voice, though very unconventional, completely drags you into his songs and his life.
Tom is an absolutely amazing artist and even through his gender transition, Tom’s punk, “I-don’t-give-a-damn” attitude and his rock star spirit have not changed one bit.
The most powerful song on the album is Harsh Realms. Tom painfully describes the loss of someone in his life. Though he, I’m sure, personalized it for a specific person in his life, Tom’s creative, all-encompassing spirit made it ambiguous enough to apply to almost anyone in a similar situation. The loss of a family member, a friend, a break-up with a girlfriend/boyfriend. This world is a harsh place. I need you. And I need you now. Don’t abandon me.
Songs to listen to: Harsh Realms, Anna is a Stool Pigeon, Because of the Shame.
Against Me!: Pints of Guinness Make You Strong, Reinventing Axl Rose, Cliché Guevara.
- Justin
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