AJJ (Andrew Jackson Jihad)

Andrew Jackson Jihad (now officially shortened to AJJ) are a folk punk band from Phoenix, Arizona that formed in 2004. The band's main members are Sean Bonnette (vocals/guitar) and Ben Gallaty (bass/vocals). In addition to those two, they have a revolving door of collaborators, though have settled on a solid live line-up in the past few years. They've put out a ton of music (as you can see), and have worked with some incredibly notable labels such as Plan-It-X, Asian Man, and most recently, SideOneDummy.

Musically, they've progressed quite a bit since their early days. Their first few demos and first album, Candy Cigarettes And Cap Guns consisted of nothing but spastic acoustic guitar strumming and walking upright bass lines, plus some percussion and incredibly energetic vocals, which are incredibly distinct. Their early lyrics are very morbid and satirical, which would continue to be a major part of AJJ's sound. The band's sophomore album, People Who Can Eat People Are The Luckiest People In The World continued with the guitar/bass dynamic, but added a few more instruments, most prominently a banjo on some songs. The songwriting is more refined and focused on personal issues, though still has the same dark sense of humour. This is arguably their best album, but that is entirely up for debate, of course. Their third album, Can't Maintain is quite different from the prior ones. The most notable addition is the use of electric instruments, though almost all the songs are still acoustic, and very folky. The songs on this album are much sadder than the prior ones, and they started showing signs of emotion in their wit. Knife Man, the band's fourth album, is the one that really shed a light on them. It is a massive departure from their earlier stuff, since it used a ton of different instruments, and the punk influence really started to show on some of the songs. Lyrically, they've become experts on putting the world down, while bringing themselves down with it. In 2014, they released Christmas Island, which they recorded with their live band. Therefore, there's a lot of instrumentation on each of these songs, which is very different from their acoustic-only origins. This album is a lot more indie/pop orientated, as they experiment with new sounds and effects.

Andrew Jackson Jihad are one of the best bands in recent years that I could possibly recommend, and are definitely a personal favourite for me, as I'm sure they are for many of you. Their songwriting is incredibly captivating, and they have the ability to take traditional folk and punk chord progressions and turn them into ingenius songs about self-deprecation and introspection, but also social commentaries through wit and humour. Basically, they flat-out kick ass. I know there's a lot of material to go through, so I figured I'd mention the "essentials". They are their five full-lengths, Candy Cigarettes & Cap Guns, People Who Can Eat People Are The Luckiest People In The World, Can't Maintain, Knife Man, and Christmas Island. As for splits, the ones with Ghost Mice, Partners In 818, and O Pioneers!!! are probably best, and the essential EP's would be Only God Can Judge Me, French Quarter/French Jihad, and Operation Stackola. Regardless, best band, best jams, listen to it all, enjoy.

Holey Man, Holy War (2004)

1. My Father Didn't Love Me

2. Ladykiller

3. The Cigarette Song

4. Who Would Jesus Fuck Up?

Demo II (2004)

1. Dad

2. Ladykiller

3. Cigarette

4. Jesus

5. Smokin'

6. F.W.P.

Demo III (2004)

1. Father

2. Ladykiller

3. Jesus

4. Cigarette

5. God Made Dirt

Candy Cigarettes And Cap Guns (2005)

1. Cigarettes

2. Be Afraid Of Jesus

3. I Love You

4. Scenesters

5. Daddy Didn't Love Me

6. Fuck White People

7. God Made Dirt

8. Lady Killer

9. Fly My Ass

10. Most Aborted Father

11. You Don't Want To Fuck With Me

Issue Problems (2006)

1. Brave As A Noun

2. Survival

3. Murderer

4. People

5. Randy's House

6. Power Plant

Live At Trunk Space 8/25/05 (2006)

1. Ladykiller

2. Survival Song

3. Scene Unity

4. Be Afraid Of Jesus

5. Bad Bad Things

6. Love Song Medley

7. People

8. Going to Georgia (The Mountain Goats cover)

9. Personal Space Invader

French Quarter/Fresh Jihad (2006)

1. Intro

2. Smoking Again

3. Fresh

4. Skipping Stone

5. Another Beer

6. Neber

7. Sheriff Ochs

8. Quarter

9. Fucking Science

10. DPS

Home Style (2006)

1. Skipping Stone

2. Bang, Bang, Bang

3. Wild Birds

4. Rejoice

5. Waltz

6. Nature

7. No More Tears

8. Bells & Whistles

9. Buffalo

10. LA

11. Let's Get Murdered

12. Mental Health Waltz

13. Murderer

14. No Mas Tears

15. People

16. Personal

17. Posicore

18. Powerplant

19. Real Suck Cess

20. Suck Cess

21. Survival

Andrew Jackson Jihad/Flaspar/Golden Boots (2006)

1. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Little Brother

2. Andrew Jackson Jihad - The Pacific To Be Specific

3. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Rejoice!

4. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Ryan Stephenson Is: "Nature's President"

5. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Una Mas Cerveza Por Favor

6. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Freedom Tickler

7. Flaspar - Starting Over

8. Flaspar - Sharp Angles

9. Flaspar - Self-Described

10. Flaspar - Bye Bye Succubi

11. Golden Boots - Blue Light City

12. Golden Boots - Ghost Machine

13. Golden Boots - Population Loan

14. Golden Boots - It's A Wonderful Lie

15. Golden Boots - Little Bird

16. Golden Boots - Magnolia Sunset

17. Golden Boots - Rats From The Hounds

18. Golden Boots - Rotten Fruit

19. Golden Boots - Heave Ho

20. Golden Boots - Sacred Thing

Andrew Jackson Jihad/Ghost Mice (2007)

1. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Little Prince (El Principito)

2. Andrew Jackson Jihad - We Shall All Die Along Some Day

3. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Forest Fire

4. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Let Us Get Murdered

5. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Lightning Bolt

6. Andrew Jackson Jihad - All The Dead Kids

7. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Unicorn

8. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Power Plant

9. Ghost Mice - Oh Me, Oh Me

 10. Ghost Mice - The Moon Will Rise

11. Ghost Mice - Song For Tomorrow

12. Ghost Mice - Survival

13. Ghost Mice - Cementville

14. Ghost Mice - Critical Hit

15. Ghost Mice - This Heart Of Mine

16. Ghost Mice - Please Quit Smoking Mom

People Who Can Eat People Are The Luckiest People In The World (2007)

1. Rejoice!

2. Brave As A Noun

3. Survival

4. Bad Bad Things

5. No More Tears

6. Bells & Whistles

7. Randy's House

8. A Song Dedicated to the Memory of Stormy the Rabbit

9. People II: The Reckoning

10. Personal Space Invader

11. People

Art Of The Underground Single Series Volume 19 (2007)

1. David J. Is A Sickness

2. Love My Children

Andrew Jackson Jihad/Partners In 818 (2007)

1. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Deep Dark Basement

2. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Hate And Kill

3. Andrew Jackson Jihad - S.O.S.

4. Partners In 818 - Dogless, Not Topless

5. Partners In 818 - Roop + Charlie

6. Partners In 818 - Red Shark VS Levinia

Plan-It-X Comp #2 (2008)

8. Dipping Things In Stuff

Only God Can Judge Me (2008)

1. Darkest Heart

2. Jesus Saves

3. Humans Kittens

4. Growing Up

5. Candle In The Wind (Ben's Song)

6. Guilt: The Song

7. I Am So Mad At You

Under The Influence Vol 6 (2009)

1. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Two-Headed Boy (Neutral Milk Hotel cover)

2. Cobra Skulls - Subterranean Homesick Blues (Bob Dylan cover)

Pug Life (2009)

1. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Island Song

2. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Growing Up (Early Version)

3. Apocalypse Meow - Rehab

4. Apocalypse Meow - Where Would Jesus Work?

Mischief Brew/Andrew Jackson Jihad (2009)

1. Mischief Brew - Punx Win (Electric)

2. Mischief Brew - Punx Win (Acoustic)

 3. Andrew Jackson Jihad - If Jeff Swiney Had A Hammer (Electric)

4. Andrew Jackson Jihad - If Jeff Swiney Had A Hammer (Acoustic)

Operation Stackola (2009)

1. 'Nother Beer

2. Still Smokin'

3. Lucky Strike (Foot Ox)

4. Deep Dark Basement (Spacejam Dub)

5. Sense & Sensibility

6. Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie cover)

7. Bold With Fire (French Quarter)

8. Skipping Stone

Dangerous Intersections V (2009)

1. Troublemake - Use Six Or Seven Times And Destroy

2. The Legendary San Diego Chargers - Fred And The Kids Are Dead

3. Shang-a-Lang - Don't Bring Him Around

4. Andrew Jackson Jihad - You May Be Right

Holiday In(n) Gainesville (2009)

1. Jesus Saves

2. People II: The Reckoning

3. Rejoice

4. Heartilation

5. Power Plant

6. People

Can't Maintain (2009)

1. Heartilation

2. Self Esteem

3. Love In The Time Of Human Papillomavirus

4. Evil

5. You Don't Deserve Yourself

6. Odle(y) Tyme(y)

7. Kazoo Sonata In C Major

8. We Didn't Come Here To Rock

9. Truckers Are The Blood

10. Love Will Fuck Us Apart

11. Sense, Sensibility

12. Who Are You?

13. White Face, Black Eyes

Andrew Jackson Jihad/The Gunshy (2010)

1. Andrew Jackson Jihad - There's No War In This Love

2. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Fffiresttartterrr

3. The Gunshy - Thanks Buddy

4. The Gunshy - Only Sean Can Judge Me

The Chronicles Of Sheriff Joe Arpaio (2010)

1. Father's Day - America's Toughest Sheriff

2. Porches - Fascist Burritos

3. Treasure Mammal - Arpayaso

4. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Joe Arpaio Is A Punk

Candy Cigarettes, Cap Guns, Issue Problems & Such (2011)

1. Smokin'

2. Jesus

3. Darling, I Love You

4. Scenesters

5. Daddy

6. FWP

7. God Made Dirt

8. Ladykiller

9. Love Song

10. Cigarette

11. Dylan Cook's Theme Song

12. Brave As A Noun

13. Survival

14. Bad Stuff

15. People

16. Randall's House

17. Powerplant

18. I'm Going To Love My Children

19. David J Is A Sickness

20. Pacific To Be Specific

21. Little Brother

22. The Freedom Tickler

O Pioneers!!!/Andrew Jackson Jihad (2011)

1. O Pioneers!!! - Get Rich Or Die Trying Part 2: Forever

2. O Pioneers!!! - Oak Island

3. O Pioneers!!! - Party Time, Yeah
4. Andrew Jackson Jihad - This Is Why I'm Hot
5. Andrew Jackson Jihad - ¡Esto Es Lo Quiero!
6. Andrew Jackson Jihad - We're All Gonna Die

Knife Man (2011)

1. The Michael Jordan of Drunk Driving

2. Gift Of The Magi 2: Return Of The Magi

3. American Tune

4. Back Pack

5. Distance

6. Fucc The Devil

7. Hate, Rain On Me

8. Track 8

9. No One

10. Sad Songs (Intermission)

11. Zombie By The Cranberries By Andrew Jackson Jihad

12. People II: Still Peoplin'

13. Sorry Bro

14. Skate Park

15. Free Bird

16. Big Bird

Daytrotter Session (2011)

1. Welcome to Daytrotter

2. Heartilation

3. Skipping Stone

4. Hate, Rain On Me

5. Roll Another Number

This Is Not A War (2012)

1. This Is Not A War

Rompilation (2012)

1. Hate Song For Brains

2. If Jeff Swiney Had A Hammer

3. Dipping Things In Stuff

4. Hate Stick Hard Party 2

5. Lady Liberty

6. This Is Not A War

7. Joe Arpaio is a Punk

8. Deep Dark Basement

9. Hate + Kill

10. S.O.S. (Off With Their Heads)

11. Fortune Teller (Kepi Ghoulie)

12. Black Dog

13. Love Will Fuck Us Apart

14. Lookin' For Love (Neil Young cover)

15. Drink Another Beer

16. Still Smokin'

17. Lucky Strike (Foot Ox)

18. Deep Dark Basement (Space Jam Dub)

19. Sense + Sensibility

20. Ziggy Starudst (David Bowie cover)

21. Bold With Fire (French Quarter)

22. Skipping Stone

Tallahassee Turns Ten (2012)

14. Alpha Rats Nest (The Mountain Goats cover)

Live At The Crescent Ballroom (2013)

1. We Didn't Come Here To Rock

2. Distance

3. Inner City Basehead History Teacher

4. You Don't Deserve Yourself

5. Sad Songs

6. I Am So Mad At You

7. Kokopelli Face Tattoo

8. Gift of The Magi 2: Return Of The Magi

9. People II: The Reckoning

10. Bad Bad Things

11. Back Pack

12. Fucc The Devil

13. American Tune

14. Rejoice

15. #armageddon

16. Sense & Sensibility

17. Black Dog

18. People II: Still Peoplin'

19. Heartilation

20. Hate & Kill

21. A Song Dedicated To The Memory Of Stormy The Rabbit

22. Hate, Rain On Me

23. Love Will Fuck Us Apart

24. El Principito

25. Big Bird

Christmas Island (2014)

1. Temple Grandin

2. Children Of God

3. Do, Re, And Me

4. Coffin Dance

5. Getting Naked, Playing With Guns

6. I Wanna Rock Out In My Dreams

7. Kokopelli Face Tattoo

8. Best Friend

9. Linda Ronstadt

10. Deathlessness

11. Temple Grandin Too

12. Angel of Death

Recorded At A Record Store 2 (2015)

1. All The Dead Kids / VNICRØN

The Bible 2 (2016)

1. Cody's Theme

2. Golden Eagle

3. Junkie Church

4. American Garbage

5. No More Shame, No More Fear, No More Dread

6. Goodbye, Oh Goodbye

7. White Worms

8. My Brain Is A Human Body

9. Terrifyer

10. Small Red Boy

11. When I'm A Dead Boy

Back In The Jazz Coffin (2017)

1. American Body Rentals

2. Blood, Hatred, Money And Rage 2

3. Border Patrol (Yuma)

4. My Crooked Leg

5. Fuckboi

Good Luck, Everybody (2020)

1. A Poem

2. Normalization Blues

3. Body Terror Song

4. Feedbag

5. No Justice, No Peace, No Hope

6. Mega Guillotine 2020

7. Loudmouth

8. Maggie

9. Psychic Warfare

10. Your Voice, As I Remember It

11. A Big Day For Grimley

Disposable Everything (2023)

1. Strawberry (Probably)

2. Dissonance

3. Moon Valley High

4. Death Machine

5. White Ghosts

6. Disposable Everything

7. The Baby Panda

8. A Thought Of You

9. Candles Of Love

10. I Hate Rock And Roll Again

11. Schadenfreude

12. I Wanna Be Your Dog 2

13. All Of My Woulds

14. In The Valley

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