Few punk bands today record albums that are both intelligent and popular. In recent years, it’s been either one or the other, and the smart bands are few and far between. Green Day pulled it off with “American Idiot.” Fugazi released “The Argument” and then went on extended hiatus. The last Bad Religion album was great. The Distillers’ “Coral Fang” was pretty good, too. But in my humble opinion, that’s about it.

But wait – just a few months ago a friend turned me onto Against Me!, the band that’s the bane of grammar Nazis everywhere with that ever-so-important exclamation point. I can now add another album to the aforementioned list.

Against Me!’s debut, the full-length “Reinventing Axl Rose,” was released in 2002 at the height of popularity of bands like Blink-182, Good Charlotte and Sum-41. Though it’s doubtful the band would ever call itself “real” punk, the album nevertheless stands out in the crowd with its chugging country-influenced rhythms, satirical political slant and earnest, acoustic guitar slinging frontman, Thomas Gabel. This band is definitely not pop-punk.

Against Me! is playing at Ushuaia this Wednesday, Sept. 21, with other Fat Wreck Chords label mates the Epoxies, Smoke or Fire and the Soviettes, in support of their just-released third LP, “Searching For a Former Clarity.” The tour will take them to every state in the union, including Hawaii and Alaska. For a band that started out playing shows in a Laundromat in their hometown of Gainesville, Fla., that’s a big step up.

Drummer Warren Oakes said the new album is further departure from their earlier, acoustic punk sound.

“I’m very proud of it,” he said. “We felt rushed with the last record, so we took more time for writing and recording and made sure we had a good healthy batch of songs. This time we let everything expand a little bit, and I think there’s a lot more depth to it.”

The band recorded “Searching” with J. Robbins, the singer-guitarist for ’90s indie-punk band Jawbox, at his brand-new studio in Baltimore.

“He was really kind and patient with us, and he really pushed us to do our best,” said Oakes. “There are a couple tracks that move differently for me as a drummer. We kind of laid back and let things groove a little bit. We even did a straight up traditional country song. It’s different.”

“Searching” has shown Against Me! to be one of the most interesting bands working today, punk or not. They inject contemporary issues, a deep social conscience, humor, musical experimentation and a good dash of sympathy for their audience into a genre of music desperately in need of just that. Their high-energy, positively charged live show should not be missed.

Against Me! will play at Ushuaia in Orono on Wednesday, Sept. 21, with the Epoxies, Smoke or Fire and the Soviettes. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., the show is all ages, and tickets are $13 and can be purchased at all Bull Moose Music locations. You can read more about Against Me! at www.againstme.net.

Supporting acts

If only music were really the cure. Tonight, local blues performers will take the stage at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer for “Blues for the Cure,” an all-night showcase to raise money for breast cancer awareness and research. This year’s show features Dave Mello, the Nightcrawlers, the Frozen Swamp Choppers and the England Brothers. Tickets are $8, the show starts at 8 p.m. and all proceeds go to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation’s Maine affiliate. For information, call 941-7176 ext. 1092.

Japanese spaz-rockers Polysics will play at the Station in Portland at 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 19, with a diverse line-up of supporting bands. Polysics are the Japanese answer to Devo: lots of squiggly keyboards, incoherent yelping and crazed dancing. Bound to be a good time. Tickets can be purchased at all Bull Moose Music locations.

Emily Burnham can be reached at eburnham@bangordailynews.net.

Submissions

Emily wants to know what you’re listening to! Send a short review (100 words or less) about a particular song that’s really rocking your world to eburnham@bangordailynews.net. Occasionally, one well-written and convincing review will be published. Special consideration will be given to songs that are not Top 40 hits and to especially unique choices. Please include your full name and hometown.