Alkaline Trio
On February 23rd, 2010, Alkaline Trio released their 7th studio album, This Addiction. The album opens with the explosive title track, “This Addiction.” Fast paced and full of catchy guitar riffs, if the opening track is any sign of what’s to come with this album, it’s sure to be an instant hit. The album continues with “Dine, Dine My Darling,” which is full of big guitars and anthemic vocals. From the first two tracks alone, it’s obvious that the band is trying to get back to their punk rock roots, and it seems to be working.
Alkaline Trio started in 1996, releasing their first full length EP in 1998, Goddamnit. In the last 14 years since Alkaline Trio’s inception, they have seen great success with their often dark and macabre lyrics mixed with catchy punk rock guitar. The band saw their first big success with the release of From Here to Infirmary in 2001. Nine years later, the band has left their major label and self-released the new album on guitarist and vocalist Matt Skiba’s own Heart and Skull label, in conjunction with Epitaph. Skiba has attributed Alkaline Trio’s move from major label Epic to their own label to releases such as Nine Inch Nails’ Ghosts I-IV (2007) and Radiohead’s In Rainbows (2007).
The track “Lead Poisoning” is a great head bobbing pop-punk track with a first from the band, a horn section. Bordering on ska, this track is definitely a departure from the rest of the album, but seems to flow just as well as the rest of the tracks. Listening to this record, it’s obvious that the band is trying to get back to their punk rock roots, especially compared to their two latest releases, Crimson (2005) and Agony and Irony (2008). The album was recorded at Atlas Studios in the band’s hometown of Chicago, where they recorded their first two albums. They also decided to return to working with producer Matt Allison, who recorded the band’s first three albums. Skiba himself has described the record as “a rock record but our punk rock upbringing definitely shines through, more so than our last few records.”
More of those dark lyrics the band has become famous for can be found in the title track, “This Addiction.” The song uses heroin and methadone as a metaphor for love. In regards to the song, Skiba states, “It’s not to say that people can’t be happy or find bliss in a relationship. It’s just amazing to me how unhappy most people are and they can’t shake it and can’t fix it, much like an addiction.” Lyrically, much of the album returns to the band’s darker side, while the music is a bit of a step forward for the band. This step forward, however, is easiest described as a step forward stylistically from their last album, but also a step back to their roots. Overall, the number of guitar overdubs has been greatly reduced, and many tracks have only one guitar track, giving this album much more of the 3-piece punk rock band feel that long time fans of the band have missed over the last 5 years.
All in all, the album is brimming with punk rock roots, while at the same time not completely relying on their past success. If you can appreciate good punk rock, this album is definitely one to not pass up. Go out and pick this record up, it’s worth it, and besides, they released it themselves. Major record label fat cats had nothing to do with this record, so go out and buy it! At the very least, check the list below to see if you can make it to one of their shows.
- 02/23/10 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory
- 02/24/10 – Salt Lake City, UT – In The Venue
- 02/25/10 – Englewood, CO – The Gothic Theater SOLD OUT
- 02/26/10 – Lawrence, KS – Granada
- 02/27/10 – Chicago, IL – The Metro SOLD OUT
- 02/28/10 – Chicago, IL – The Metro SOLD OUT
- 03/02/10 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theater
- 03/03/10 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
- 03/04/10 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
- 03/05/10 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Zoo
- 03/06/10 – Toronto, CAN – The Phoenix Concert Theater
- 03/08/10 – Clifton Park, NY – Northern Lights
- 03/09/10 – Hartford, CT – The Webster Theater
- 03/11/10 – Philadelphia, PA – Trocadero SOLD OUT
- 03/12/10 – New York, NY – Nokia Theatre Times Square SOLD OUT
- 03/13/10 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
- 03/14/10 – Providence, RI – Lupos Heartbreak Hotel
- 03/16/10 – Towson, MD – Rocher Theatre
- 03/17/10 – Charlotte, NC – Amos’ Southend
- 03/18/10 – Charleston, SC – Music Farm
- 03/19/10 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade
- 03/20/10 – Jacksonville Beach, FL – Freebird Live
- 03/22/10 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues
- 03/23/10 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Revolution
- 03/25/20 – New Orleans, LA – House of Blues
- 03/26/10 – Houston, TX – Warehouse Live
- 03/27/10 – Dallas, TX – The Palladium Ballroom
- 03/28/10 – Austin, TX – Emo’s
- 03/30/10 – Tempe, AZ – The Marquee Theater
- 04/01/10 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
- 04/02/10 – West Hollywood, CA – House of Blues
- 04/03/10 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues