Anti-Flag - Mobilize (2002)

Tracklist
1. 911 For Peace
2. Mumia's Song
3. What's The Difference?
4. We Want To Be Free
5. Nbc (No Blood-Thirsty Corporations)
6. Right To Choose
7. We Don't Need It
8. Anatomy Of Your Enemy
9. Underground Network
10. Tearing Everyone Down
11. Bring Out Your Dead
12. A New Kind Of Army
13. Their System Doesn't Work For You
14. Free Nation
15. Spaz's House Destruction Party
16. Die For Your Government

Political punk rock has always felt pressure from society because of the extreme reaction many have to extreme political ideas. A good example of this situation was what Anti-Flag went through in the wake of the September 11th tragedy. Their name was viewed as "un-American" by many, and they found themselves on the receiving end of a minor album ban. On top of that, their anti-violence stance was very unpopular in the revenge-happy environment immediately following the attacks. Although it wasn't nearly as widespread as what some musicians had felt, it was enough to inspire them to address the issue on Mobilize, the first album they released since the incident. Brimming with anger, "911 for Peace" is one of the most literate songs to address the topic yet. Where some musicians simply mourned for the city or called out for blood, Anti-Flag took a stand and called for an end to the "eye for an eye" mentality that hit the nation. Of course the song never really took off (it was released for free on their website), but it fits in nicely with the punk rock anthems following it on the album. They address a number of other political topics throughout the album, including corporations, abortion, and carefully choosing who builds the future. Not every song has the insightful lyrics of "911 for Peace," but Justin Sane was never a Jello Biafra waiting to be discovered. Instead, the approach is similar to Ian MacKaye's Embrace project, spelling out the message with little room for subtlety or humor. But this is much more in tune with the innovators of punk rock, making hundreds of candy-coated bands floating around the underground just look silly. On top of that, the band writes songs that are easier to remember and absorb than anything it's done before. The album isn't a landmark, but instead it is a solid document from a band that continues to improve with every album. [Some copies of the album include a sampler from Anti-Flag's own A-F Records.] ~ Bradley Torreano

Anti-Flag's newest full-length since selling 75,000+ in ten months of their fourth album Underground Network on Fat Wreck Chords. Special because it features 8 new studio tracks including '9-1-1 for Peace', Anti-Flag's statement regarding the hideous September 11th attacks on the United States, plus 6 live recordings of Anti-Flag classics including 'Die for the Government', 'A New Kind of Army', and 'Underground Network'. The live portion was recorded as a time capsule regarding current world events and the Anti-Flag punk community. Includes free 21 tracks A-F Records Sampler CD included in this release. Anti-Flag Records.