On June 2nd, Bloomington, Indiana-based artist Austin Lucas will release Reinventing Against Me!, a curated collection of eight of the iconic punk band’s hits – all in Lucas’ signature country style. The album, co-produced by Lucas and Jake Belser, will be released via Sabotage Records in Europe and GrindEthos Records / Immortal American Recording Co. in North America, unveiling a new label imprint of Lucas’ own.
Like most working musicians over the last couple of years, Lucas began to connect with fans through streamed performances. Rather than merely rehash the same show over and over again, Lucas decided to take the opportunity to pay tribute to some of the artists and bands that they loved. One of their choices has been a constant source of inspiration for Lucas for more than two decades–friends and musical peers Laura Jane Grace and her seminal punk band Against Me!.
“My love for them made it easy to decide on doing a streaming event that showcased her songs as a special event,” Lucas recalls. “After the event, which attained incredibly high viewership and praise from Laura herself, I made a joke to her on Twitter that if she wasn’t careful I would do a reinventing Against Me! album to which Laura basically ‘double dog dared’ me to see the project through. I’m generally not one to back down from a challenge, especially one as fun as changing Against Me! songs into country tunes, so I took the joke to its maximum potential and just went ahead and did it.” Lucas reimagined their favorites from the Against Me! Discography–“merely chosen because of my intense love for each and every one of these perfectly written anthems,” Lucas adds.
Tracks
01 Pints Of Guinness
02 Baby I'm An Anarchist
03 I Still Love You Julie
04 Walking Is Still Honest
05 We Did It All For Don
06 Black Me Out
07 Sink Florida Sink
08 Those Anarcho Punks Are Mysterious
