For Against - December

Post-Punk in the Flatlands:

For anyone digging through the crates of 1980s American underground music, finding For Against is like discovering gold buried in the cornfields. Hailing from the unlikely post-punk outpost of Lincoln, Nebraska, the trio—comprising vocalist/bassist Jeffrey Runnings, guitarist Harry Dingman III, and drummer Greg Hill—crafted an absolute masterpiece with their sophomore album, December, released in 1988 on Independent Project Records. While British contemporary acts like The Chameleons and The Cure were selling out arenas with their sweeping, melancholy sounds, For Against was operating in brilliant, hyper-focused isolation, distilling the same raw materials into something remarkably distinct and entirely explosive.

December occupies a legendary, transitional space in alternative history, frequently cited by subcultural purists as a crucial American blueprint for the dream pop and shoegaze movements that would explode in England just a few years later. Packaged originally in the striking, letterpress art direction of label founder Bruce Licher, the album spans a compact 36 minutes of blistering rhythms, chiming guitars, and melancholic, romantic disillusionment. It is a record that manages to be simultaneously furious and beautiful, capturing a midwestern frost that chills the bones while setting the turntable on fire.

The Architecture of Winter:

Drop the needle on December and you are instantly blindsided by the hyperactive, relentless assault of the opening track, "Sabres". Right from the first note, drummer Greg Hill establishes himself as the secret weapon of the band, throwing down complex, ferocious fills into tight spaces where most underground drummers wouldn't even attempt to tread. Rather than stepping back into a typical, gloomy post-punk drone, the rhythm section pushes the tempo forward with an aggressive, heart-racing urgency that catches you completely off guard.

The core sonic magic of the record lies in the brilliant juxtaposition between the band's ferocious drive and the shimmering textures layered over it. Guitarist Harry Dingman weaves a dizzying web of chorused, delayed, and ringing riffs that swirl like ice crystals over the driving pulse of Jeffrey Runnings’ basslines. On tracks like "Stranded In Greenland" and "The Effect," the instrumentation feels utterly cinematic, creating massive, echoing spaces that somehow feel trapped inside the confines of a sweaty, claustrophobic basement studio.

Runnings’ vocal delivery provides the album's emotional anchor. He delivers his dark, often obscure lyrics with a deceptively boyish, brittle tone that carries an intense sense of vulnerability. When he sings on the title track "December," his voice floats beautifully above the freezing synth textures and rolling tom-toms, conveying a sense of heartbreak that feels thoroughly honest, lacking any theatrical over-dramatisation. It is this precise mix of an aggressive rhythm section, dream-like guitars, and an angsty, fragile vocal performance that makes the record pop perfection.

Decades after its initial release, December stands as a triumphant high-water mark for 80s American indie rock. While standout uptempo tracks like "They Said" and "The Last Laugh" offer immediate, jangly hooks, it's the album's pervasive, wintery atmosphere that keeps listeners returning to it year after year. For Against created a record that transcends its geographic origins, proving that the deepest, most beautiful shadows aren't always found in the alleys of London or Manchester—sometimes they are forged in the quiet heart of the American Midwest.

Ripped to MP3

1. Sabres

2. Stranded In Greenland

3. Svengali

4. They Said

5. The Effect

6. December

7. The Last Laugh

8. Paperwhites

9. Clandestine High Holy