Alkaline Trio

Alkaline Trio, led by darkly charismatic frontman/guitarist Matt Skiba, have several prominent things in common with fellow longtime post-hardcore, proto-emo titans Fall Out Boy. Both bands tout a gothic image and string together undeniably singable, infectious, guitar-driven anthems that speak to the hearts and souls of the disaffected youth. Additionally, both groups conduct their business with a wink-wink, nudge-nudge sensibility that doesn't obscure the fact that they are smarter than their average audience member yet they never enable an aura of condescension or "We're in it for the coin" smugness. These bands may have elevated status, but they find no shame in consorting with their fans.

While FOB have ascended into the stratosphere of pop culture, thanks to their romantic affiliations that have attracted enough tabloid coverage to deforest an entire country, Alkaline Trio have remained popular and relevant within the fringe pop punk scene, yet they've never crossed into the mainstream. The band could very well make that leap with Agony and Irony, their sixth effort and first for their new home at major label, Epic. While many bands on their sixth album often find themselves on the down swing of their career, Alkaline Trio have continue to rise and to crank out modern music, thanks to swingy rhythms, choppy tunes and Skiba's clever turns of phrase that are laced with sarcasm and wit while masquerading as gothy poetry. Skiba speaks to the kids who are clamoring for comfort in the form of music and a rock god who understands their plight and their emotions. Skiba more than fits this bill; however reluctantly is not a question we're going to probe here!

Musically, Agony and Irony is an excellent exercise in three-chord chops and bouncy punk rock. Opening with the turbo-charged "Calling All Skeletons" and sailing through the semi-romantic semi-ballad "Over and Out," the raucous "Live Young Die Fast" and the punchy "Love. Love. Kiss. Kiss," the record cycles through a variety of tempos but one thing remains constant and that's the Trio's ability to take a simple melody and hammer it into your brain, which prevents the music from having an expiration date or sounding too "right now." You can envision every one of the aforementioned songs being performed at an Alkaline Trio show with the crowd singalong participation eclipsing the band in terms of sheer volume. One can also imagine Skiba's words scribbled across the backs of notebooks in middle schools from Osh Kosh to Orlando, as first tattoos and being sent as text messaged barbs to heartbreakers or wrongdoing friends.

Black eyeliner-smeared, punk anti-heros are a dime a dozen in the current hybridized post-whatever (punk, emo, hardcore, take your pick) youth music scene. Matt Skiba and his cohorts in Alkaline Trio are the real deal and Agony and Irony further cements their place as the voice of the kids that love reveling in emotional peril and turmoil.

— Amy Sciarretto
07.09.08

Major-label debuts from punk bands usually all follow the same route, and end up sounding polished and produced. But with Alkaline Trio six full-lengths into their career, it could be assumed that they would be immune to any sort of big sound alteration on Agony & Irony, their first offering for Epic. Besides, Alkaline Trio already polished things up a few albums ago -- the raw, drunken rants of their past didn't make it very far past Asian Man Records. So the fact that Agony & Irony is overall a moderately paced affair featuring songs more pop/rock than pop-punk isn't such a surprise; it's simply a logical progression from Crimson. It might be slightly disappointing that some of their raw edge didn't return -- and the lyrics are effective, if not quite up to the cleverness they've shown in the past -- but at the same time, the continued polish isn't necessarily a bad thing; there are some pretty great songs here. Opener "Calling All Skeletons" is a perfect pop song -- complete with handclaps and hip shakes -- tailor-made for soundtracking the reckless house party scene of a prime-time teen drama. "I Found Away" skips along to a shuffling drumbeat courtesy of Derek Grant underneath modern rock guitars, while "Help Me" throws everything it has to Matt Skiba's expressive vocals. The latter song seems to set the standard, since although Dan Andriano chimes in on almost every melody, he noticeably only takes lead on a handful -- as on the lonely vintage pop of "Love Love, Kiss Kiss" -- which is a far cry from earlier albums where the split was almost even. Agony & Irony continues with the blood reds, black nights, and images of death that have become part of the band's trademark, but the guys also inject a few songs with some undercurrents of hope through the haze, which is, admittedly, a nice touch. And there seems to be an equal amount of contentedness as misery in this set, which does suit the aging band. But even so, it's a little hard not to wish for more of that edgy bitterness to creep back into the songs, roughing things up a bit and adding some excitement to the mix. The album is still enjoyable and damn catchy in spots -- but knowing as much as we do about this talented trio, it seems like it could have been so much better. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide