:: Alkaline Trio - Agony & Irony

Alkaline Trio

Fans are an unforgiving bunch sometimes. And for a prime example of that sentiment, you only need look at the conflicting comments that surround the release of every new album from Chicago act Alkaline Trio. Throughout their decade long existence, the three piece act has continuously evolved both as musicians and song writers. But despite their attempts to mature and move on from the early punk pop/rock sound of their early classic albums, some fans simply aren’t willing to accept the change. Having said that, 2005’s ‘Crimson’ wasn’t quite the masterpiece fans were waiting for, with the album sounding more like Alkaline Trio were on autopilot for the most part. But on their returning sixth full-length effort ‘Agony & Irony’, the band is back better than ever.

Proof of the band’s return to form is evident in the opening anthem ‘Calling All Skeletons’, where Skiba’s vocal performance sounds livelier than it has in years, and the infectious chorus and use of hand claps is pure magic in Alkaline Trio tradition. The single ‘Help Me’ maintains the energy and enthusiasm of the opener in perfection, while the darker and rocking ‘In Vein’ reflects a little more of the band’s earlier sound. ‘Over And Out’ is typically Alkaline Trio with its melancholy slower and darker sound, while Andriano absolutely shines on the classic stand out track ‘Do You Wanna Know?’.

Sadly, the album loses a little steam with a couple of filler tracks in ‘I Found Away’ and ‘Live Young, Die Fast’, but thankfully the pop influenced ‘Love Love, Kiss Kiss’, the heavy/orchestrated ‘Lost And Rendered’, ‘Ruin It’ and the up-tempo ‘Into The Night’ end the album on an incredibly high note.

In the end, Alkaline Trio fans will always disagree on what constitutes the classic Alkaline Trio sound. But for my money, put aside the sniping on the forum boards and listen to ‘Agony & Irony’ and make up your own mind. Fans may have bemoaned the fact that ‘Crimson’ lacked the classic Alkaline Trio sound of old, and for the most part, they were right. But with ‘Agony & Irony’, the band is back, and sounding better than ever.