January is a big month for record releases

We just finished talking about the best albums of 2013, and here we are in the midst of a month full of high profile releases. A couple of 2014's most anticipated albums in punk are out in January. One month into the year, we already have some likely frontrunners for the end of the year bracket.

Against Me!'s new album, "Transgender Dysphoria Blues," is significant on multiple fronts. The most discussed front is that this is the first album the group has released since lead singer Laura Jane Grace came out as a woman. Themes of gender identity permeate much of the lyrical content. This is an important album for the band and for the punk scene at large. "Transgender Dysphoria Blues" is also the band's first album since their foray into major label territory (their last two albums were released on Sire, an arm of the Warner Music Group.) Against Me! caught a lot of flack just for releasing material on Fat Wreck Chords, a big label in the punk community but by no measure a major label in mainstream music industry terms. So to say they alienated a large portion of their fanbase when they signed to Sire and released two albums of largely radio friendly songs is an understatement, if anything. "Transgender Dysphoria Blues" was released last week on the band's own independent record label, Total Treble Music. The sound of the music itself has returned to a more aggressive demeanor, although it does not sound strictly like their earlier albums. This album is a style of its own, a new way on.

Coming out on Tuesday is the long-awaited "Metropole" from The Lawrence Arms. This is the band's first full-length album since 2006's "Oh, Calcutta" and first release of any kind since 2009's "Buttsweat and Tears" EP. Brendan Kelly plays an acoustic set at the Wicker Park Reckless Records on release day, starting at 6 p.m. They are touring the East and West coasts next month in support of the album, something they have not done in quite some time. Along with the gap in studio music releases has been a decreased touring schedule. The band has played sporadically during the last several years, mostly in Chicago. It looks like this new release, out on Epitaph Records, may get them on the road more often. Stream "Metropole" in its entirety here.

Earlier this month, third wave ska punk veterans Mustard Plug released "Can't Contain It," their seventh full-length album. "Can't Contain It" was funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign and was released on No Idea Records. The album includes fan favorite "Aye Aye Aye," which the band has been playing live for a good while. Fans of the band will get what they came for. Stream the full album here.

Tuesday will also see the release of "Community Support Group," a new 7 inch from The Bruce Lee Band. Mike Park, founder of Asian Man Records, fronts the band. The lineup for this release also includes Jeff Rosenstock of Bomb the Music Industry!, Mike Huguenor of Classics of Love and Kevin Higuchi of The Chinkees. The Bruce Lee Band put out their eponymous debut album in 1997 and the "Beautiful World" EP in 2005. Their first album featured Less Than Jake as the backing band, while the EP had RX Bandits on duty. This is a Category 5 alert for ska fans. Check out one of the new songs, "Ms. Me," below.