Review: Taking Back Sunday - New Again

ARTIST: Taking Back Sunday
ALBUM: New Again
RELEASE DATE: 06/02/09
LABEL: Warner Bros. Records


This one deserves a drum roll.


It's safe to say that just about everyone, from the media down to the individual fan, has had their breath held in anticipation for Taking Back Sunday's fourth full-length release, including this writer. And probably for good reason, since we've been watching as just about everything that could possibly pit itself against their return to the stage has managed to spring up. But after hearing this new album for myself, my vote goes to TBS for most aptly titled record of the year.

If you've been following TBS over the past twelve months, you're probably aware that things haven't been all sunshine and rainbows. To the public, internal problems seemed to appear all at once, but troubles had been brewing among the group for a long time. The most notable result was the departure of lead guitarist/vocalist Fred Macherino in the fall of 2008. Macherino, who had been in the band for five years and two albums (2004's Where You Want To Be and more recent major label debut Louder Now in 2006), had become integral to the band's live performance, as well as an important complement to Adam's lead vocals. Although both sides reported that Macherino left on good terms with TBS, it's become obvious that his decision to leave had more tension surrounding it than what could be seen on the surface. Fred left to pursue a solo career, fronting a band called The Color Fred.

Less obvious to the music community was a constant stream of fire from the fingertips of "fans" blogging and commenting in music forums across the web about how the new record "had BETTER sound like your old stuff". Many longtime listeners were insisting that TBS, for all intents and purposes, just rewrite 2002's Tell All Your Friends with different song titles and lyrics. Not only was lead vocalist Adam Lazzara insulted, a fear of losing a supportive fanbase because of artistic growth was looming over the band's head.

In the wake of all this came the decision to bring in guitarist Matt Fazzi, previously of prog band Facing New York, to replace Fred Macherino. Bassist Matt Rubano stated that Fazzi brought "new life to the band", and they very openly admit that without the energy and sense of "Why not?" that he brought, there might not have been a new record. Or at least not THIS one. It seems that his entrance into the band couldn't have come at a more perfect time.


Press PLAY. The title track opens the album, laying plainly where the group intends to take you with this record. An Adam Lazzara at the top of his vocal game declares, "I'm ready to be new again, I'm ready to hear you say who am is quite enough", as if to say, "To anyone who is wondering, yes, we've been knocked down. We're standing back up now." Following is the upbeat first single "Sink Into Me", the video for which is currently recieving much attention from FuseTV and MySpace Music.

While the tracks "Lonely Lonely" and the obviously quite personal "Cut Me Up Jenny" remind me a lot of Louder Now, songs like "Swing", "Capital M-E", "Carpathia", and particularly the down-tempo "Where My Mouth Is" are great representations of the band's positive sonic growth. "Catholic Knees" is described by the band as one of their heaviest works to date, and the listener can feel it in their headphones, but "Summer, Man" makes me feel like I've known the guys as friends for a very long time.

According to TBS, the most well recieved track at listening parties has been the closer of the album, "Everything Must Go". The song displays well the type of leads that Fazzi has brought to TBS that we haven't really seen before. The lyrics in combination with vocal performance on this one are also just incredible, with gripped lines such as "You quote the Good Book when it's convenient, but you don't have the sense to tie your tangled tongue..."


I think the greatest thing about this album and the best compliment that I can give the band is that through all that's happened, changes included, we're still listening to Taking Back Sunday. What I heard on this record still feels like Taking Back Sunday. Whatever element of their art it is that we fell in love with from the day we first heard them has been miraculously maintained, even through all these years.

New Again is simply a triumph, one that I believe we'll be seeing the effects of years down the line. It's the best thing that could've resulted from their situation and SO much more, made by some of the most honest guys in music today. And what more could we ask?

Taking Back Sunday is quite enough.

Order the album HERE.

Written by: Spencer C.