New Music Review: Taking Back Sunday "New Again"

All I can say for Thursday is THANK GOD this album was better than Elvis Costello's album. I love Costello, but dear Lord that thing was a turd. On with the review.


Taking Back Sunday - New Again (8.0/10)

Picking up where the previous three studio albums left off, New Again continues the amazing pseudo-toned-down screamo rock that Taking Back Sunday has made their trademark. Somehow managing to pull off harmonies using backing semi-scream vocals, TBS finds a way to blend their grinding guitars and harder-edge feel to the band with fantastic songwriting and melody skills.

2009 has been a busy year for the guys in Taking Back Sunday, headlining The Bamboozle Left, sharing the bill with 50 Cent and The Used on the Wonka Stage. Followed up with a spring tour alongside Anberlin, accusing a Brazilian band of stealing their chorus from "Make Damn Sure", then stating that they weren't mad, but kind of took it as a compliment. If that wasn't enough, they are also a part of the videogame Rock Band, with a downloadable 3-song bundle available.

The lead single "Sink Into Me" is a fantastic track to lead off the promotional aspect of the album, but is by far not the best song on the album. That dubious honor belongs to "Carpathia" one of the last tracks on the album, but definitely worth the wait. It has the feel of the most powerful song, like everything was stepped up for the recording of that track and there is an intense vibe all around the song. Typical to a Taking Back Sunday album, it flows dynamically, and despite its heavier vibe, it is an album that you can put on, and go about doing things about the house while still enjoying it without it being distracting. I do recommend giving the album your undivided attention for a listen or two, in order to pick up on all the little things in the album. Personally, after yesterday's album review debacle, it could have been 4 guys playing violins while they pooped on a mountain goat and punched a baby and I would have been glad I wasn't listening to Elvis Costello's album. OK, so maybe without the baby punching, I would have taken points off for that, but goat-pooping would have gained points to make up for it.

Tomorrow's Review: Dave Matthews Band - Big Whiskey and The GrooGrux King