An artist who needs no introduction, Laura Jane Grace, has had more impact on modern punk culture than almost anyone else. Since her band Against Me! last released an album in 2016, Grace has kept busy, writing a bestselling book with journalist Dan Ozzi and releasing two full length albums and an EP. Her latest album Hole In My Head takes everything she’s learned from more than two decades of the punk-rock lifestyle and deconstructs them into something entirely fresh and new.
Grace’s other recent solo efforts, 2020’s Stay Alive and 2021’s At War With The Silverfish were both the result of Covid-19 era sparks of inspiration, written to keep the anxiety and boredom of the pandemic at bay. Despite the pretty drastic sonic changes from her work with Against Me! both received plenty of praise, stripping back the sound fans were used to hearing from Grace, leaving her warm, scratchy voice and lo-fi acoustic guitar backed only by the occasional drum machine or bass. Hole In My Head retains a lot of the minimalist charm of these previous solo works while cleaning up the production and experimenting with a retro, roots-rock inspired sound with tracks like ‘I’m Not A Cop’ and ‘Punk Rock In Basements’ bringing fun, upbeat rhythms while ‘Dysphoria Hoodie’ and ‘Give Up The Ghost’ lean far more heavily into the bare-bones singer-songwriter vibes.
“Hole In My Head takes everything she’s learned from more than two decades of the punk-rock lifestyle and deconstructs them into something entirely fresh and new.”
The opening track and single ‘Hole In My Head’ stands out as one of Grace’s most accessible, clear-cut tracks in years, with a driving, punk-rock groove and honest, personal lyrics. Longtime Against Me! fans are bound to get a kick out of the fast-paced, stripped-back guitar riffing, thankful that Grace isn’t ready to forget her punk roots while growing as an artist and delving deeper into her own identity. The following track ‘I’m Not A Cop’ flips this on its head, taking a political stance reminiscent of her older work and setting it against an unfamiliar, jangly 50’s inspired rock backdrop. Laura Jane Grace has proven time after time that she excels at both ferocious punk and vulnerable solo acoustic music, it’s great to see her expand her musical palette without straying from her core values.
As well as these more punk oriented songs, Hole In My Head finds time for some quiet contemplation and soul searching. About half of the songs on the album strip Grace bare, leaving just her voice and an acoustic guitar ready to explore themes such as addiction and recovery on ‘Hard Feelings’, coping mechanisms for gender dysphoria on ‘Dysphoria Hoodie’ and moving on from old loves on ‘Tacos and Toast’. Each of these tracks has a clear identity ranging from high energy folk-punk to melancholic Americana, however, some take to the stripped-down treatment better than others, ‘Tacos and Toast’ in particular is yearning for a subtle slide guitar or harmonica to elevate Grace’s country style guitar picking.
“Laura Jane Grace has proven time after time that she excels at both ferocious punk and vulnerable solo acoustic music, it’s great to see her expand her musical palette without straying from her core values.”
A number of the tracks on Hole In My Head are hugely enhanced by bassist Matt Patton, best known as the bassist of Drive-By Truckers since 2012, whose presence is clearest on the song ‘Mercenary’. Grace had originally finished the track on her own before sending it to Patton who’s smooth, prominent bass line intensifies the song’s sleazy southern-noir vibes; the collaboration feels so natural it’s almost impossible to imagine the song without it. ‘Mercenary’ highlights why Hole In My Head works so much better than Laura Jane Grace’s other solo releases, the more stripped-back tracks feel more like a conscious, deliberate choice, rather than a limitation, in amongst songs with more in-depth production. The closing track ‘Give Up The Ghost’ feels more intimate and tugs at the heartstrings far more after an album with a varied sound than if it had followed ten other slow, emotional songs.
Hole In My Head feels like Laura Jane Grace’s most complete album since going solo, cementing her punk credentials while exploring new sonic territory. Delivering plenty of tracks which will appeal to old fans while diving into roots rock and acoustic folk, Grace delves deeply into her soul through some of her most brutally honest, passionate music yet.