"It doesn't feel a thing like falling." Actually, when I fell in love with Taking Back Sunday's latest album, it did feel a little bit like falling...like falling off a cliff and landing in a refreshing pool of great music.
I had honestly lost a little faith in Taking Back Sunday after New Again. It did have some good songs, but as a whole was not up to par with their previous releases. Then, a friend who is an avid TBS fan informed me earlier this year that they were back to their original line-up; I was so excited I may or may not have listened to Tell All Your Friends for the entire next week. The same guy loaned me their new self-titled release when it came out, and I remember tentatively placing it in my car's CD player the next morning. This was one album I was actually worried about not liking--I needed Taking Back Sunday back in my life.
Well, I didn't need to worry. "El Paso" hit me like a ton of bricks. The slow verses and screaming choruses actually remind me a little bit of Nirvana, and show a really mature quality to Adam Lazzara's voice. The next song on the album is "Faith (When I Let You Down)," and I found the lyrics incredible. I interpret it as a really cool love song: "Don't lose your faith in me...I'm not going anywhere!" John Nolan in the background along with the chorus of voices at the beginning and end also give this song a really spectacular quality.
Luckily, I had already bought a ticket to their headlining tour, because even after these first two songs I was so excited. I only made it through the first four songs on my way to work that morning, and I was kicking myself the whole day for not uploading it to my iPod so I could keep listening. I did manage to listen to the whole album that night...and the next day, and the next...
If I had to pick other favorites from the album, my choices would be "It Doesn't Feel a Thing like Falling," "This is All Now," and "Since You're Gone." In the latter, Lazzara puts so much feeling into the choruses; it paints a clear picture of a man in pain about someone. Also, "Falling" has the best guitar intro, in case you were wondering.
All in all, you can't go wrong with this album. Every single song is above average, and most reach the status of being great. Taking Back Sunday shows their maturity with this album, but still incorporates so many of the aspects that gained them most of their fans in the first place. Nolan's back-up vocals are again the perfect accompaniment to Lazzara; TBS's affinity for using multiple voices in songs has always been one of my favorite things about them. Maybe the best part about this album is that it belongs on the shelves of all rock fans--not just the punk rock fanatics anymore.
Also, as a side note, they are fantastic live. They have so much fun and get the crowd involved, but they don't lose track of playing the music well. When I went, Lazzara crowd surfed all the way to the back of the room and up to the front again. I had my hand on his shoulder for part of "Cute Without the E," and it was probably the best concert experience of my life. And if you've never seen him do his signature microphone swinging, you need to put "attending a Taking Back Sunday concert" at the top of your to-do list. I went so crazy at the concert I was dehydrated and sick for a week, and my phone was water damaged from sweat. Worth it.
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