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Taking Back Sunday

152

Written by: KRS on 22/04/2024 10:22:07

A lot can be said and written about Taking Back Sunday. But, they have been behind some of the most gut-wrenching emo anthems millennials scream from the top of their lungs, amongst other songs. Our heads turn towards the band's eighth and latest album, “152”. Unlike their previous three albums, Taking Back Sunday lives in the moment instead of trying to prove that they aren’t just that emo band with gut-wrenching bangers. But why is it called “152”? Well, it’s important for the band. It’s the exit of the North Carolina Highway, where the band met with their friends when they were younger.

“Amphetamine Smiles” kicks off the album with a gentle start. The string orchestra set up before the band joins feeds the heartbreaking lyrics' emotion. While it’s such a pretty song, it has the undertone of divorced dad rock, but maybe that isn’t bad. It is followed up by “S’old,” a synth sound that shows the band isn’t done making the room dance. “Keep Going” steals the show, with lush, dramatic synths leading. The vocals on the track become a tad more poppier. Tension builds throughout the song due to instruments fading and vicious post-breakup lyrics.

Kicking off the second half of the album, “Quit Trying” is another one that meets the magic of different synths and quickly becomes one of the strongest songs on the album. The synths are only here to accompany the band and Lazzara’s vocals this time. If one needs his vocals to be tested, “Quit Trying” proves that he still has it. “New Music Friday” is a much more danceable track that you could hear at Emo-Nite and get down with it. For a second, you forget he was in Taking Back Sunday because they are so much in the background, but during “New Music Friday,” they are loud and clear. Album closer “The Stranger” is emotionally raw, with the lyrics ”Why does it always have to be so hard / Shouldn’t have to be this goddamned hard”. It goes hard once you get over the rollercoaster usage of experimental synths in the beginning.

It’s been a while since Taking Back Sunday sounded confident in their sound. The mix of synths and instruments serves the band's new sound well. The album is somewhat nostalgic, bringing back what they once were and giving us a taste of what’s in store for the future. At the same time, this album is the first without Eddie Reyes. You could say John Nolan carries much of the album on many of the songs and contributes to Adam Lazzara’s vocals, which are as strong as they were during the “Louder Now” era. The band no longer needs to prove who they are, because “152” showcases very well that taking six years off to work on an album, maturing, and overall finding a lot more solace in age does pay off in the end.

Download: S’Old, Keep Going, Quit Trying
For the fans of: Hawthorne Heights, Bayside, Boys Like Girls
Listen: Facebook

Release date 27.10.2023
Fantasy Records