Review Summary: The first release from the punk rockers Alkaline Trio is both memorable and moving. It consists of strong themes of relationships, drinking and simply put being a teenager.
Today any fan of Pop Punk will be able to identify Alkaline Trio, the dark, moody and catchy rockers from Chicago. Although they haven’t been on the forefront of the recent "Pop Punk" merge into mainstream music they retain a loyal fan base and hold an air of pride about them that bands such as Fall Out Boy and Good Charlotte will always lack.
Now let’s back track to 1996, friends Matt Skiba, Rob Doran and Glen Porter, all from Chicago's north-western suburbs decide to form a band together. After the release of the bands first EP "Sundials" Rob Doran the bassist and vocalist at the time left the band and was replaced shortly by Dan Adriano. They almost immediately began recording again and released their second EP "For Your Lungs Only". By this stage they had built up a small fan base throughout the American Mid-west, this prompted the bands first full length album "Goddamnit", released in 1998.
The album begins at full pace with "Cringe" ripping power chords, simple bass and up tempo drums spell Alkaline Trio from the beginning. The lyrics of the song cannot be overlooked they are both visual and cringe worthy making the title quite relevant. The song doesn’t contain a definite chorus but the line "You were the last good thing I ever saw" makes it evident that the song is about a lost love. The tone of the song is desperate and lyrics gives off an almost annoyed feeling. A strong and convincing opening track.
"Goddamnit" continues head first through the quick-paced punk rock with "Cop". It begins with interesting guitar by Skiba and then goes straight where the opener left off. The verses and chorus are much more defined in this song and the verses have more thought than the opening track, but I do find the song finishes without leaving much of an impression. It really doesn’t display much insight or emotion. The lyrics of the song are decent but there is no real stand out lines, sadly this track does not deliver as the opener did.
"San Francisco" opens with a simple piece of Skiba guitar strumming, bursts into a stereotypical punk opening then, surprisingly into a softer, mid paced verse. The lyrics and vocals stand out ahead of the palm muted guitar. The verse contains much more diversity than most of the album and although instrumentally the band doesn’t provide much complexity it is evident that they have put effort into the instrumental layout. The chorus of the song is nearly unforgettable with powerful lyrics
"I was drinking you goodbye
A heart floats in the bay
From sour home Chicago
I hear it beating far away"
The song is rather dark and emotional; it leaves the listener with a memorable impression which is quite important on such a fast paced punk album. A truly great song.
"Nose Over Tail" begins lightly with the lyrics
"Crack my head open on your kitchen floor
To prove to you that I have brains"
The song quickly kicks back into the punk rock but not to full flight as Skiba delivers one of the shortest and best choruses on the album although it varies throughout the song its authority really does show and I cannot help but sing along to it. We are then flung right into a mess of vocals, guitar, bass and drums which is rather poor verse. I cannot help but feel this verse does let it down the song; "Nose Over Tail" ends with a lengthy instrumental piece which leaves me almost begging for a change in the layout of this song. The chorus stands tall but the verse is a let down.
"As you were" straightens the album up with a fast paced verse and great lyrics. The use of Skiba's vocals on the album largely outweighs those of Andriano's. It is quite tiring to listen to another song sung by Skiba at this stage. The song is decent but doesn’t display anything new or exciting, the lyrics are dark and overpowering but other than this there is nothing new shown by the band.
The next song "Enjoy your Day" is a real breath of fresh air; it is an acoustic piece with vocals by Adriano. The song begins with a simple picking piece and then enters into the first verse of the song. It is an emotional song and the lyrics suit the mood
"I’m broken hearted on the floor
My tears seep through the crack under my door"
It is a track that breaths heart break and loneliness, a real highlight.
"Clavicle" hits back with a genius punk rock track. The song opens with some guitar strumming but then bursts into overpowering classic Alkaline Trio. Up tempo drums and a simple riff by the bass and guitar really drives the song. Although earlier in the album the punk can become tiring, “Clavicle” is anything but that, it is raging with freshness and originality. The immaturity in the chorus is a true summary of the song
“I wanna wake up naked next to you
Kissing the curve of your clavicle”
A great punk track that I just can not help but like.
“My Little Needle” is a slower track that is really exceptional; it begins with a powerful introduction that slows down into a listener friendly verse. The verses don’t give off much emotion but they are original and display some new ideas from the band. The chorus is catchy and memorable; it has a darker tone that works in harmony with the slower verses. A great track that holds its own with the top songs on the album.
“Southern Rock” is again a slower song that is quite similar to “My Little Needle”. It has a very powerful chorus but the verse lack diversity and the songs lyrics are unexpectedly poor. By the songs finish it doesn’t really rub off as a track that can be rated too highly on the album.
“Message To Kathlene” jumps out quickly with an easily distinguishable beginning. The song is medium paced with a slower chorus, by this stage the messy punk rock songs that were at the beginning of the album are contrasted by the more heart felt second section of the album. The verses of the song consist of more conservative instrumental work with palm muted guitar and simple riffs. The chorus is much longer than much of the others on the album which I feel works well in the song. Although the lyrics aren’t high class they are relatable and used wisely in this song.
“But I know you're worth the pain
I’ve so much more to gain”
A real top song that is both emotional and catchy.
The next song on the album is “Trouble Breathing” and my personal favourite. The track begins with an appealing little guitar riff that’s sets both the pace and mood of the song. The verses are very light mostly consisting of bass and drums with obvious emphasis on Skiba’s vocals and the near perfect lyrics.
“You said tonight is a wonderful night to die
I asked you how you could tell, you told me to look at the sky
Look at all those stars; look at how goddamn ugly the stars are”
The chorus of the song is both original and catchy, it is obvious to the listener that “Trouble Breathing” has real direction and this really pays off for the band. The song is also a hooking track which you have to listen to from beginning to end. The highlight of the album in my opinion.
The last track of the album “Sorry About That” does not disappoint, in fact is one of the best on the album. This song is the second acoustic guitar piece, this time with Skiba’s vocals. It is an emotional song that is another hooking track. The lyrics again are top class and I cannot emphasis enough how well the bands lyrics are throughout the entire album.
“Maybe I just set aside the fact that you were broken hearted.
In my own special selfish way.
And if I hadn't set aside the fact that you were broken hearted.
Hell knows where your heart would be today”
The song is almost written as a story of one of Skiba’s lost loves, it is a real touching track that is well above just a suitable finisher, it one of the best and ends the album on a perfect note.
My Favourite Tracks (in order):
Trouble Breathing
Sorry About That
Clavicle
San Francisco
A top album by a top band. Although instrumental complexity is really lacking the band make up for that with outstanding lyrics and catchy songs.
4.5/5
