A musical force since Against Me!'s debut in the late 90's, Laura Jane Grace has never shied away from themes of political commentary, environmentalism, social critique, and candid self-exploration. Following the 2012 public announcement of her gender transition in the pages of Rolling Stone, Laura Jane Grace racked up several accolades. Against Me! released its most acclaimed record to date, Transgender Dysphoria Blues in 2014, which was followed by an Emmy-nominated 10-episode companion documentary, True Trans with Laura Jane Grace. In 2016, Laura Jane Grace teamed up with journalist Dan Ozzi, to co-write her acclaimed memoir TRANNY: Confessions of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist which went on to be featured on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Fresh Air with Terry Gross, and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, and rightfully named one of Billboard’s “100 Greatest Music Books of All Time”. Hole In My Head is Grace’s twelfth album and an exciting hallmark in her colorful and extensive career. 

Recorded at Native Sound in St. Louis, Missouri with David Beeman and mixed & mastered by Matt Allison (engineer for acts such as Lawrence Arms and Rise Against), the album is a sonic curio cabinet containing multitudes. Hole In My Head features warm 50s-rock-influenced guitar riffs, saved-for-later lyrics, love letters to St. Louis, dysphoria apparel, and thoughtful reflections on a punk life lived. 

The record's title track "Hole In My Head" takes off with a driving guitar-heavy approach that will be welcome to long-time fans of Against Me! Electric machinations drive the song for about 10 seconds before launching into the first verse and punctuated by two lines that serve as the chorus as the song progresses, "I won’t learn to feel less/ I need a hole in my head". The lyrics are captured visually in the album's cover art done by the talented Australian artist and designer Annie Walters. Walters contrasts a black and white photograph of the crumpled, short-haired figure of Laura Jane Grace against a barrage of bright color and illustrative imagery that bursts upward from Grace's splitting head. Much like the song, the cover at first comes off as explosive, possibly violent but upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that the stream of color stems from a physical need for comfort and release. Grace's clutching hands (in image and in writing) are opening herself up.

Released 2/16/24 through Polyvinyl Records. Available here on CD, cassette, and Hot Pink vinyl.