Tom Gabel Goes Solo

10/10/08 2:36pm

by Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

Against Me! frontman Tom Gabel is known for his political lyrics and songs, so it shouldn't be surprising that he's releasing a solo EP to coincide with the American presidential election.

The seven-song Heart Burns will come out on Oct. 28 through Sire Records. Gabel began recording the songs, which he says are about the contemporary political and cultural landscape south of the border, in January. The EP was recorded in Los Angeles in August on a two-week break between Against Me! tours. Gabel and Billy Bush co-produced Heart Burns, which features guest appearances from Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba and Hot Water Music frontman Chuck Regan.

"Anna Is A Stool Pigeon" is about environmental activist Eric McDavid, who was convicted last year for trying to damage corporate and government property with explosives. An FBI informant posing as an activist was responsible for nabbing him, which prompted McDavid to argue he'd been entrapped.

"What struck me most about the story was a sense of familiarity," says Gabel. "I know the scene he was a part of, I used to be a part of it myself.

"I've thought the same thoughts, talked the same talk. I've hung out with the same people, gone to similar protests. If Eric could have become the target of an FBI sting operation, then so could I. This could have been me."

Gabel plans to post a video for a different song from Heart Burns every week on his MySpace page.

Gabel has been Against Me!'s singer since the band formed in 1997. He's released four albums with the group, which he originally started as an acoustic solo project.

Here are the songs on Heart Burns:

"Random Hearts"
"Conceptual Paths"
"Cowards Sing At Night"
"Amputations"
"Anna Is A Stool Pigeon"
"Harsh Realms"
"100 Years Of War"