Alkaline Trio-Agony and Irony
Epic
July 1, 2008

This is my favorite Alkaline Trio album as of right now. Sure, I haven't really started listening to them until recently, and I don't own Goddammit or Maybe I'll Catch Fire, but this is a great slab of music. The songs are mostly mid tempo, but they work well to provide an upbeat yet solemn mood. This doesn't sound all that different from the other Alkaline Trio songs that I've heard. An old fan buying this won't be shocked. Its not nearly as gothic as their last couple albums were; instead sticking to writing good mid tempo melodic punk songs.

These songs might sound happy if Matt Skiba and Dan Andreano didn't have voices that sound like they were missing a soul. There are plenty of bouncy parts brought down to a teardrop by the vocals, which adds so much more to their already talented songwriting talents.

I'm not claiming to be an expert on the band, or an original fan, but I do know what I like. Agony and Irony is an album that has a lot of things to like about it. Anybody can write, sing, play a song, but it does take talent to be part of something great. I think Alkaline Trio are about to cross that finish line.

Written by: RF
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