The New America

The New America concluded what had been a choppy run for Bad Religion on Atlantic Records, with nearly all songwriting done by Greg Graffin aside from one cowrite featuring Brett Gurewitz, who would rejoin the lineup soon after. The lyrical focus of the album is as much personal as political, while musically it’s often a good blasting, rollicking affair, a kind of mature hardcore for lack of a better term. Todd Rundgren’s production helps in that regard, and songs like “It’s a Long Way to the Promise Land” and “Don’t Sell Me Short” have familiar shoutalong bonhomie.