AJJ
Who They Are
AJJ, originally formed as Andrew Jackson Jihad, is a folk-punk quartet consisting of core members Sean Bonnette (acoustic guitar, lead vocals) and Ben Gallaty (bass, backing vocals), as well as Preston Bryant (lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals) and Mark Glick (cello). Since their formation in 2004, this Phoenix-based four piece has put out seven studio albums on some of the most notable American indie-punk labels, including Asian Man Records, Plan-It-X Records, SideOneDummy Records, and No Idea Records.
Why You Should Listen
With over fifteen years under their belt, AJJ is not only the most experienced but also the most influential band that we have reviewed here on Boxcar Collective. Serving as essentially the punk equivalent to Pavement for late nineties alt-rock revival or the Velvet Underground for new wave art rock, their pointed, tongue-in-cheek lyrics covering topical issues like depression, social anxiety, politics, and religion and their unparalleled sound featuring sharp, sarcastic vocals against a fast-paced, folk-tinged backdrop have inspired an entire generation of artists, with third-wave punk greats like PUP and Jeff Rosenstock citing them as a major influence. AJJ remains such an important figure within punk because they managed to achieve a goldilocks combination of cynical, albeit humorous, lyricism with heavy and stripped-down, yet accessible, instrumentation that many had previously attempted with minimal success. Often people respect the punk mantras of independence and social equality but simultaneously deride its abrasiveness and standoffishness. As such, AJJ has ushered in a new era that maintains the original punk spirit while appealing to a wider audience by incorporating softer guitar riffs, power-pop melodies, and intricate instrumental layering. Oh, and you’ve got to see them live. Bonnette’s pinpoint vocal delivery is already brilliant in the studio yet somehow becomes even more impressive on stage. I was fortunate enough to see them on tour with PUP, and one of the highlights of the night was moshing to “Brave as a Noun”, which dives headlong into “Survival Song”. The group just has an incredible stage presence, largely due to their easygoing, gregarious personality that allows them to instantly connect with the crowd.
What You Should Listen To
With seven LPs and an innumerable amount of additional EPs and singles, there’s plenty of AJJ to indulge yourself in. Good Luck Everybody, their latest release, is a must listen, with frontman Bonnette saying, “Sonically, it’s our least punk record, and lyrically, it’s our most punk record.” In navigating AJJ’s discography, it becomes apparent that the band has developed a unified sound that manages varying degrees of punk and folk. Their debut album People Who Can Eat People Are the Luckiest People in the World offers a perfect glimpse into the band as a whole. That being said, for a sample of their live prowess, listen to Live at Third Man Records, a well-selected fourteen-song sampler taken at Jack White’s famous recording studio.