Let me begin by saying that I've been a Bad Religion fan since Recipe For Hate. My friend introduced me to them right after I graduated from high school. I had never listened to much punk rock prior to the album but I thought Recipe For Hate was just an incredible CD. I became hooked on Bad Religion. I started buying some of BR's older material and was blown away by Suffer and Against The Grain. I've been following BR ever since.

I am a big fan of Bad Religion's older material but I must say that this album, The Gray Race, is now my favorite. The Gray Race is a very upbeat CD, even more so than the majority of Stranger Than Fiction (which is also a great album!). It's produced very well and has a much cleaner sound than the past albums, yet it still seems to me to have much of the intensity of BR's older albums. Every song is cool. It just rocks!

I don't understand why so many people are down on Bad Religion since the departure of Brett. The music hasn't changed very much, although I must say that I was slightly dissappointed with The New Amerca and No Substance. I think all Bad Religion's albums are very good. Greg Graffin is a superb songwriter and he makes his points in everything he writes while keeping the music interesting to listen to. Don't knock BR just because Brett left and doesn't write their music anymore. Remember, Greg did, after all, write many of BR's older song by himself and he wrote some excellent songs then too.

Either way...new stuff...old stuff... I recommend The Gray Race and Suffer if you wanna hear great Bad Religion albums. But don't get me wrong...they're all good.

After the very successful "Stranger than Fiction" album, Bad Religion came to release perhaps their best album so far and a true gem in the musical scene. Fifteen songs in the usual Bad Religion style with fast tempos, catchy melodies and singing , and the very caustic lyrics by singer Greg Graffin. It's truly amazing to hear Bad Religion play in such great shape using all their energy and freshness providing a very pleasant listening experience while also spreading their political stigma and raising the middle finger to all those who deserve it. Some of the highlights of the album are "The Streets of America", "Spirit Shine", "Ten in 2010", and my favorite from this album "Pity the Dead" where we're faced with a critical dilemma on why we pity the dead looking at all the living. Overall this is a very pleasant album to listen to, an album that can accompany you through almost any activity you choose to do. Friends of punk rock or any other open-minded fans of good music will definitely find this album pleasing and will enjoy each and every second of it.

Obviously over the years Bad Religion's music has changed gradually, so expecting The Gray Race to sound like Suffer or Against the Grain is just silly. Most of the songs here are slower and more melodic, but that doesn't mean they aren't up to par with Bad Religion's past works; just different.

A Walk, Ten in 2010, Pity the Dead, Punk Rock Song, and my personal favorite from this album, Come Join Us, are among their best works in years, and the rest of this album, though not incredible, is solid. Pick it up.

Many people maintain that Bad Religion is not the same without Mr. Brett. Many of these skeptics have also not heard this CD. In my opinion, BR has only gotten better with the addition of Brian Baker. Brett is undoubtably an excellent song writer, and while his leads are often quite good, he was somewhat sloppy in his playing with BR. Brian Baker brought a cleaner, more focused sound to the songs and he has helped create new fans along the way. Greg is much more than capable of continuing as head song writer, and the entire band seems to have become a well oiled machine, off and running, putting miles between themselves and the rest of the punk rock genre. They are essentially redefining punk with every release, and now they are capable of raising the bar to astronomical heights.

I would have given this album five stars, but for one thing; Brian Baker is a candle compared to Brett Gurewitz's stadium light. While Brett Gurewitz gave BR it's link to the people and kept Greg G. from zoning out into a universe of confusion and head-scratching, Brian Baker just helps out to make choruses repetitive and is making them stray from their patented and wonderful style. Why change that which is near perfect, when perfection is impossible?