My life with Alkaline Trio began in late 2004 with continued listening to From Here To Infirmary while working in a kitchen with some very interesting characters. Infirmary held some of my favorite to this day Trio songs including "Mr. Chainsaw", "Stupid Kid", "You're Dead" and "I'm Dying Tomorrow" and that album is the standard that I hold subsequent releases to. 2003's Good Morning was a great follow up to Infirmary, 2005's Crimson was more electronic tinged and kind of forgettable, and 2008's Agony & Irony just fell to the wayside for me due to the band playing more to the mainstream audience, and although it did have some great songs the label did not handle Alkaline Trio properly.
So how does the new full length fill out? While first of all, before this came out the band announced that they were putting it out on their own label, Heart & Skull, but then signed with indie stalwarts Epitaph. The question I, and fellow Alkaline Trio fans, have been posing is why? Maybe it was for distribution or publicity, which in that case then smart move because Epitaph are some of the best in the industry, but why not sign to former label Vagrant? So why the move? Hell if I know, but while it was smart for practical reasons, you cannot tell me that the Trio do not have the money or know how to run a label. So it remains a frustrating mystery.
Well, whatever label they are on, how is the music? It is good; not the best the Trio have put out but not their best either. I can tell now as I am listening to it that it will grow on me much like previous releases have, but as it stands the songs are forgettable. With the exception of "This Addiction" and "Lead Poisoning", which includes a wonderfully fitting horn section, many of the album is mid tempo punk songs that would be wonderful as a soundtrack to a night drive home from a bar. They have somewhat lost the energy that made them so popular but they have not lost their catchy rhythms or skillful playing; they have just slowed down a bit. There is some mid record energy on the 80's pop and punk hybrid "Eating Me Alive"; however it still is lot slower and energetic than much of their previous efforts. The real centerpiece of this album is the late album song "Dorothy", it is one of the few songs on the album that recalls the past energy while giving their new directions sufficient room to breathe and really come into their own.
While the album is not perfect, it is a highly listenable, good album. While not being a fast paced album musically, it is a very quick listen, clocking it at just under thirty five minutes. Alkaline trio are wonderful at creating pop punk with an emphasis on good lyricism and romanticism that is rarely equaled. While is release is not as amazing as Infirmary is in my mind, it was better than the past few and it is a very solid record.
Rating - 3 1/2 out of 5
Favorite Tracks - "Fine", "This Addiction", "Dorothy", "Lead Poisoning"
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