Alkaline Trio Band • Page 12

I'm forever convinced that they can't totally recreate the Good Mourning vibe because Matt's shredded vocals added so much to the mood of that album.

The juxtaposition of Dans somewhat sad but much more hopeful songs (not to mention the outright happy Every Thug) with the overall macabre feel and tone of the album (not to mention the weird bass/drums mix) was so so good.

 

Vocally, it is what it is. I don't expect Dan or Matt to sound like they used to. It's just not realistic. But, I want some of the sounds (musically) and the dark themes from those records to return.

 

I don't expect them to recreate anything Jerry Finn was involved in. I'll always wish they continued more on the Crimson path though, they really seemed to give into the backlash from a lot of fans that hated Crimson. That was the last album Matt's lyrics were at the top of his game I feel.

 

Pretty high, in my opinion.

 

I get there are some good songs on the latest Blink album, but I wasn't blown away like a lot of people were. I mean, it's better than their EP and Neighborhoods, but those weren't high marks to break imo. There are some songs I like, but the record is just sort of there for me. I think My Shame Is True is a better record. Therefore, I expect the next Trio album to be better than California.

 

Shame is definitely better than California, but I like Neighborhoods more than both so whatever

 

Shame is one of my favorite Trio albums, especially when combined with the Broken Wing EP. I didn't know there was tension in the band surrounding it, just that Dan isnt a huge fan of playing the songs because of how much it hurts Matt to sing them. I need to rewatch that couch interview.

 

"we're the things that go bump in the night that you can't see" ......awful, IMO.

 

Not as awful as the lyrics in Sun Dials or Draculina.

 

Crimson doesn't showcase Matt's most clever lyricism, but I feel like most of his writing on that album fits the vibe of the music. I think Time to Waste has great lyrics though.

 

I think it's kind of unfair to compare the two, although I get why it will happen. Blink was working with a new line up for the first time, new producer and their main goal was putting out a poppy album to get the band back into the main stream again which they absolutely accomplished.

In terms of success I don't think Alkaline Trio's next album will come close to California. In terms of quality that's definitely going to be a possibly.

 

I think there's more room to improve album-wise for blink as Mark and Matt get comfortable making music together than there is for Trio. I didn't mind how they wrote California, since being a fun summer album was the goal. But if they REALLY took their time writing (not to the extent Untitled took) they could really make a great blink album. For me San Diego was a top ten blink song and Bored To Death was probably top 20.

My Shame Is True was a big step-up from the previous two Trio albums IMO and if it matches that album I'll be pretty happy. But I think everything up to and including Crimson is pretty untouchable. I don't know if Trio can make a song at this point that can touch even my top 30 of their songs lol. St. Anthony was easily my favorite single song by them since probably anything off Good Mourning though. I'm Only Here To Disappoint was vintage Dan. B-sides were great too.

 

Yeah absolutely. I think California was just getting to know each other with the writing/recording process and becoming a band. I have much higher expectations in a follow up to California. I didn't mind the amount of time they spent in the studio, it followed the previous blink patterns in recording from Dude Ranch up to TOYPAJ, they usually spend 2 to 3 months recording.

I love MSIT, I really hope Trio's next album is similar to that. And I agree all the albums up to Crimson were fantastic. I'm glad they rebounded with MSIT from two lesser albums, although I still enjoyed them both.

 

I think Remains may easily have some of my all time favorite stuff on it.

 

Ooh that came out after Crimson, didn't it. Yeah I totally agree. I regard it nearly as highly as I do the self-titled. My bad! Haha. Queen Of Pain, Hell Yes, Jaked On Green Beers, Warbrain, Dead End Road... So many great songs on there.

 

Definitely the worst song on that album, but overall it's a good album. I loved it at first and over time it has lost favor with me in the album rankings, but that was the first album where I was following along with a band in studio (they put out a lot of videos for the blood pact in that era) and it was cool to see. Dans shit was top notch too, including the bsides.

I still put Good Mourning and Agony&Irony above it. Still mad All on Black and Do You Wanna Know? Didn't get singles treatment, along with maybe Calling All Skeletons.

 

Also i think it would be cool/funny if matts excursion into Blink ended up bringing Alk3 back into mainstream attention.

 

Me too, but this time their mainstream album is better than Agony and is of the utmost Alkaline quality that we know they are capable of. Agony is a fine album, but it sits with Addiction for my least favorite.

 

I lovvvvve A&I. Think they made a great rock record...Dan was so on point too. The big blemish is Live Young Did Fast....yikes. Also hate that it ended with Into The Night instead of In My Stomach.

Help Me was on the American Eagle soundtrack, but I always viewed Crimson as their most mainstream exposed album. 3 videos, big premiers on KROQ, etc. The label got their polished rock record in A&I with a bunch of single-worthy songs and didn't push it as hard as they seemed to push Crimson, for whatever reason. I mean, if Burn gets to be a single, why not Do You Wanna Know? or Calling All Skeletons?

 

don't disagree there. since i'm older and associated them more with Goddamnit, Maybe... and Infirmary that i prefer the self deprecating, self destructive, lets-drink-and-fuck-and-smoke-ourselves-to-sleep aspect of the trio. i know that's far from who they are now, which is probably why i lean heavily toward dan's songs since good mourning. gold, jerry! gold!

 

In a way you're right. Crimson came out when there was more money in the industry and more videos on tv, but it was still a Vagrant release. The was more money to go around. I think that album got them the traction and the thought by a major that they could sell accessible Trio songs on a bigger scale. I still remember the random scenes from the Hills episode on MTV when they were making Agony. I don't think it was a sell out record, but I do think they wanted to make a more accessible record. And for a host of reasons it didn't work out. But too me, that was kind of their peak in the mainstream audience. Making a record for a major with their budget and making reality show appearances. Their biggest songs in the mainstream were probably on Crimoson.

 

I always find myself singing along to My Standard Break aha.

 

Remains doesn't have a single song that I want to skip, which is pretty impressive for how long it is. The Crimson-era B-sides might be my favorites on there.

 

I need to dig deeper into those songs. That collection was released during a weird transition part of my life. I got it between Agony and Addiction. Maybe I will do a discography listen soon. This Trio talk has been great. It's always fun reading other people's takes on what you like.

 

Just have to add I really want some new Trio music as well. Such a legendary group. I have hopes that the projects Matt and Dan have been doing will lead to a great next album for them. MSIT was a definite step back in the right direction.