Bought to Rot

Bought to Rot
Studio album by
Laura Jane Grace & The Devouring Mothers
ReleasedNovember 9, 2018
RecordedMay–June 2018
StudioRancho Recordo
GenrePunk rock,[1] indie rock,[2] heartland rock[2]
Length38:21
LabelBloodshot; Red Scare Industries (reissue)
ProducerLaura Jane Grace, Marc Hudson
Laura Jane Grace chronology
Heart Burns
(2008) 		Bought to Rot
(2018) 		Stay Alive
(2020)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic75/100[3]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
The Line of Best Fit[2]8/10
Exclaim![5]8/10
The Guardian[6]
Paste[7]7.5/10
Under the Radar[8]5/10
NME[9]

Bought to Rot is the debut studio album by American rock band Laura Jane Grace and the Devouring Mothers. The group consists of Laura Jane Grace (lead singer of Against Me!), Atom Willard (drummer of Against Me!) and Marc Hudson (long-time sound engineer and collaborator with Against Me!). The album was released on November 9, 2018, on Bloodshot Records, a Chicago label that Grace approached when she discovered the label's headquarters was a few blocks from her residence.[10] In 2022, Red Scare Industries "took over" the album from Bloodshot and began selling a new LP version[11] with alternate artwork with by Grace.[12]

The album's title refers to the difficulty of Grace having written the album's songs, but feeling that they were not suitable for an Against Me! record, which was expected to be the album Grace would release in 2018.[13]

Background and recording

I went in and asked if they’d consider giving the songs a home. They were cool enough to hear me out and oblige. I couldn’t be more happy about the work we’re going to do together and sharing it with the world.[10]

— Grace, on partnering with Bloodshot

Laura Jane Grace announced in July 2018 that the band she had performed previous solo tours with since 2016,[14] The Devouring Mothers, had recently completed Grace's second solo record together, to be released on Bloodshot Records in Autumn 2018. The band's members since its inception have been Grace and Willard from Against Me!, as well as long-time producer and collaborator Marc Hudson.[15] The album is said to be heavily influenced by the works of Rowland S. Howard[16] and Tom Petty,[10][17] and includes collaborations with other artists.[18]

Following a period of turbulence in Against Me!, the songs were recorded quickly in order to have them finalised before Grace underwent surgery shortly after the record's release, so as not to have the songs "rot" like surplus groceries bought.[19] Grace later confirmed in January 2019 that she had undergone facial feminization surgery as part of her transition.[20]

The album was announced for preorder on 29 August, with an immediate release of "Apocalypse Now (& Later)" (the fourth track on the album) on streaming services.[21] On 11 October, "The Airplane Song" began streaming online,[22] followed by "Reality Bites" on 25 October.[23]

Before being cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Against Me! covered the song "Reality Bites" as a full band in two live shows in March 2020.[24]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Laura Jane Grace except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."China Beach" 2:04
2."Born in Black" 3:10
3."The Airplane Song" 2:30
4."Apocalypse Now (& Later)" 2:15
5."Reality Bites"Grace, Sabrina Ellis[25]2:11
6."Amsterdam Hotel Room" 2:07
7."The Friendship Song" 3:04
8."I Hate Chicago" 3:03
9."Screamy Dreamy" 2:05
10."Manic Depression" 3:48
11."The Acid Test Song" 3:06
12."The Hotel Song" 2:49
13."Valeria Golino" 3:15
14."The Apology Song" 2:54
Total length:38:21

Personnel

Band

Additional musicians

Production and design

References

  1. ^ "Laura Jane Grace & The Devouring Mothers' 'Bought to Rot' Proves Empowerment Is Eventually Obtainable". PopMatters. 19 November 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers - Bought to Rot". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  3. ^ "Critic Reviews for Bought to Rot - Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  4. ^ "Bought to Rot - Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  5. ^ "Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers Bought to Rot". Exclaim!. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  6. ^ "Laura Jane Grace and the Devouring Mothers: Bought to Rot review – nihilism and tenderness". The Guardian. 9 November 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  7. ^ "Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers: Bought To Rot Review". Paste<. 9 November 2018. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  8. ^ "Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers: Bought To Rot (Bloodshot) Review". Under the Radar<. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  9. ^ "Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers - 'Bought To Rot'". NME<. 5 November 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  10. ^ a b c "Bought to Rot". 23 August 2018. Archived from the original on 29 August 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  11. ^ Red Scare Industries [@RedScare] (October 27, 2022). "Want copy of @LauraJaneGrace's "Bought To Rot" on red wax?! Earlier this year we "took over" this title from a defunct label, and we're here to make sure you listen to it. She's got upcoming shows and doing wicked stuff on Patreon, so get with it and be sure to check out this LP!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. ^ Laura Jane Grace [@LauraJaneGrace] (October 27, 2022). "Congratulations to anyone who bought the original pressing of this record. For the Red Scare version I changed the cover art just enough it should add some value to your investment on discogs" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  13. ^ "Laura Jane Grace on Twitter".
  14. ^ "Live Review: Laura Jane Grace and the Devouring Mothers at the Sinclair in Boston". 24 February 2016. Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  15. ^ "Against Me!'s Laura Jane Grace Announces Solo Album With Devouring Mothers". 31 July 2018.
  16. ^ "Laura Jane Grace on Twitter". Twitter.
  17. ^ "Laura Jane Grace on Twitter".
  18. ^ "Laura Jane Grace on Twitter".
  19. ^ Bernstein, Jonathan (29 August 2018). "Laura Jane Grace on New Band Devouring Mothers and the Future of Against Me!". Rolling Stone.
  20. ^ "Laura Jane Grace on Instagram: "A month ago I had FFS. Now I have a mesh screen of titanium permanently screwed into my forehead. Being trans is a trip y'all, a wild, wild…"". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-25. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  21. ^ "Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers 'Bought to Rot'".
  22. ^ BSHQ. "Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers "The Airplane Song" (Audio)". Retrieved 6 January 2019 – via YouTube.
  23. ^ BSHQ. "Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers "Reality Bites" [Audio]". Retrieved 6 January 2019 – via YouTube.
  24. ^ "Reality Bites by Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers song statistics | setlist.fm". setlist.fm.
  25. ^ "BMI - Repertoire Search". repertoire.bmi.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  26. ^ "Laura Jane Grace on Twitter".
  27. ^ "Laura Jane Grace on Twitter".