CD Review

Once and a while, an established band loses the plot. Maybe they write more accessible material to try to break into the mainstream, maybe they go on a weird experimental kick, or maybe they just forget what kind of band they were in the first place. For Chicago doom-and-gloom punk rock band Alkaline Trio, the last couple of releases seem to have suffered from a combination of the three. After spending the last half of the '90s and the first portion of the '00s establishing themselves as America's go-to band for lyrically dark and sonically fun punk rock songs about girls and drinking, the Trio, drummer Derek Grant, bassist/singer Dan Andriano and singer guitarist Matt Skiba, seemed to fall off the wagon a bit with the release of 2006's "The Crimson." The album featured a few elements, which had previously not been a part of Alkaline's repertoire, including electronic ambience and some decidedly not-punk-rock-songs. Despite these perceived missteps, the album elevated the band to the highest point of popularity they had achieved yet in their career, if not their highest point of critical acclaim. In 2008, the band followed up "Crimson with Agony & Irony," their major label debut for Epic Records. The problem with "Agony & Irony" seemed to lie in the over-produced, single-heavy format that just didn't fit with the band's dark imagery and punk rock roots, and the fans responded negatively. After "Agony & Irony's" release, the band embarked on a very successful U.S. tour where they eschewed off-the-disc in favor of pulling from their back catalog and breaking out the crowd pleasers. That, combined with the growing strains on their relationship with Epic, seemed to make one thing clear to the Trio: something had to change. So, Alkaline got out of their major label contract, signed to Indie-punk powerhouse Epitaph records, holed up in Chicago and decided to make a punk record. They enlisted old friend and producer Matt Allison, who produced fan favorite Trio records "Maybe I'll Catch Fire" and "From Here to Infirmary." Skiba told Spinner.com in November that the album would be "A rock record, but our punk rock upbringing definitely shines through, more so than our last few records. The vibe is similar to our humble beginnings. It's a step forward but I also think it has glimmers of our past in it. We went with a less-is-more approach on this record." The remark sparked talk all through the ranks that Skiba & Co. were crafting a relic of an album that would bring back the fast, simple, catchy punk rock sound of their heyday. It's clear the band listened to their fans and themselves and set out to make a real Alkaline Trio record this time around, as true to form as possible. So how did they do? Well, they did pretty well. The lead single and title track begin the album with a real kick to the gut. It's classic Trio, with all the melody and sincerity and one of the bells and whistles. "This Addiction" is a three chord romp in the tradition of the Bouncing Souls, Social Distortion and, well, Alkaline Trio eight years ago. Lyrically, the song dives into the overall concept of the album, which Skiba has explained as comparing a relationship gone bad to heroin addiction, a concept we can all relate to. The chorus of "This addiction/Can't seem to live without you/This Addiction/now going clean/This addiction/I go through withdrawl without you" echoes a common human sentiment said only the way Matt Skiba could say it. The second track is one of three sung by Andriano. These three songs provide the weak links on the album, as "This Addiction" is generally an exercise in peppy, poppy punk rock and Andriano's moan and drone tend to slow down the pace. Skiba, on the other hand, rarely misses on this outing. "Lead Poisoning" recalls infamous Trio B-Side "Old School Reasons," and "Dead On the Floor" is a surefire radio single and future Alkaline classic, and Skiba sounds like a heartbroken God when he sings "When you asked me to stay forever, I guess you just meant for the week." There are some tinges of those most recent lesser albums, like the cheesy organs on clunker "Draculina" (Skiba's lone legitimate misstep) and the ham-fisted keyboards of "Eating Me Alive," but all in all, "This Addiction" is a fantastic piece of music. Alkaline Trio die-hard? "This Addiction" will simply be the next in a streak of excellent records by this legacy band. If listeners of Alkaline Trio have fallen off the band wagon over the last few years, this is the shot to give Matt, Dan and Derek one more try. Never heard of Alkaline Trio? "This Addiction" really isn't a bad album to get you onboard. While the disc lags a bit in the middle and the band haven't ditched all of their electronic tendencies, Allison has helped the Trio produce their finest work since 2003's "Good Mourning," and fans should truly be stoked to hear what the band has to offer in the future. Alkaline Trio have put out the first must-hear album of 2010, so do your part and go give it a spin. "This Addiction" is available on Bullmoose.com for $7.97.