Louder Now

Louder Now
By Melissa Warner
Publication: FrontPageMilwaukee.com
Issue Date: August 2007
Section: Entertainment

Louder Now. Taking Back Sunday. April 25, 2006. Pop/Punk. $13.98

The newfound kings of pop/punk are back with their third release leaving the MTV crowd longing for more and their original fans wondering what went wrong.
Taking Back Sunday joined forces in 1999. Their first release Tell All Your Friends, was the most successful independent album of their time. Everyone on the Emo scene spread the word quick and they were the must-know band.
After the departure of original members, John Nolan and Shaun Cooper, Taking Back Sunday released their first commercial release, Where You Want To Be.
Many fans turned their back feeling betrayed. Not to mention in the underground Emo scene it’s not cool to like anyone’s sophomore album. Bands can’t change their sound either.
I stood by Taking Back Sunday through lineup and musical changes. However, with their latest release, Louder Now, I’m confused what happened or even what Adam Lazzara is talking about.
There truly is nothing like waiting for your favorite band to release an album after two years of waiting and the album sounding awful.
Out of 13 songs I will generously say four are good- five if I stretch it.
The album begins with “What it Feels Like to be a Ghost.” The hook is confusing, like the rest of the lyrics, but catchy. The guitar riffs, bass lines and drums are any wannabe mosher’s dream come true. Most listeners will probably skip this decent song to the song MTV made popular, “Liar (It Takes Two).”
Any song- good or terrible- that calls someone a liar or cuts them down is destined to be a hit. Just like Where You Want to Be’s most popular single, “A Decade Under the Influence.” To hell with you and all your friends, the lyric almost the loudest screamed at any Taking Back Sunday conert. “Liar” has the same appeal to the popular crowd.
“Makedamnsure” isn’t quite the high point of the album, but is a close second. It is the first single from the album with a notable bass line. Lazzara’s whining makes the track either loveable or pure torture, depending on your taste.
Following the first single of the album is perhaps the lowest point of the album, “Up Against (Blackout).” The hook is meant to be catchy, Face it/ This is what we're up, up against/You're waiting/And every minute is a minute away/Face it/This is what we're up, up against/You're waiting/And every minute is a minute away. However, it’s no better than nails down a chalkboard.
Tracks five and six are the high point of the album. “My Blue Heaven” is a sweet song about giving into one temptation you don’t want to. The slow but heavily bass track is a track worthy of $.99 on iTunes.
“Twenty-twenty Surgery” is a track unlike any other on the album. The first time I heard the song I did not even think it was Lazzara on vocals, but it is. The lyrics are confusing, Well all young children listen, 'cause they've got so much to learn/We'll get you home in time to make the rent/Should be for free for being me, but the song is incredibly catchy so the lyrics are easily overlooked.
The rest of the album is hardly even worth noting. It is hard to sit through and with terrible music to accompany even worse lyrics. “Divine Intervention” is an awful attempt to recreate the chilling acoustic sound as demonstrated in Where You Want to Be’s only acoustic track, “New American Classic.”
With Taking Back Sunday releasing the great let down of “Louder Now” it makes me truly understand why fans long for the day of John Nolan and especially his lyrics.