Taking Back Sunday is No Stranger
Written by Sage Banks
On October 27th, American emo band Taking Back Sunday released their first album in years, 152. Running just over 31 minutes with ten tracks this album is one you definitely shouldn't skip… especially if your taste includes emo and alternative music.
From small and humble beginnings Taking Back Sunday formed in Long Island, New York, in the year of 1999, and soon became a very prominent name within their community. Similar to other emo bands their emotionally raw and heartfelt lyrics are what drew in listeners from all over, and beyond pre-recorded tracks that can be found on a multitude of streaming services their energy-driven performances make for an undeniably incredible band.
From an album with no skips, it can be hard to pick just one track that stands out. The Stranger, Amphetamine Smiles, and Quit Trying are some of the hardest hitters. The album opens with Amphetamine Smiles, the track starts with a warm and melodic guitar sequence and picks up about halfway through. Though nothing has been confirmed it can be assumed that the song references what it is like to love someone through their addiction. “Love you like a brother, Love you like no other, I’m going to love you ‘cause no one else can … She told me not to take them pills, I said girl you have no faith in medicine. ” It is undoubtedly an incredible start to the album and sets the listener up for some more hard-hitting lyricism.
Quit Trying marks the middle of the album; the lyrics seemingly go back and forth between someone who is fighting the battle of whether to keep trying and when to stop. The verses at times alternate between “I just keep trying" and " I just quit trying”.The entire song takes a lighter approach to the melody as most of it has a very fluid pop-punk feel throughout. While this song has a lot of emotion behind it, the emotional intensity is not as prominently felt as compared to some of the other songs on the track, yet it is still incredibly catchy as the chorus is very similar throughout. Between the heavy drum and guitar presented behind layered chants, this song shows the duality within Taking Back Sundays style and is a very nice marker as a half point to the album. It gives the listener some feels without being too heavy.
The Stranger is the last track of 152, the album comes to a close similarly to the way that it started. With a slower start that soon picks up as the song progresses. The Stranger is seemingly about a parental relationship that has fizzled out and gone dull,” Cause I'm not that dumb with my baby, Dave it’s your father, I’m calling to see if you had fun”. Though it can be interpreted in multiple different ways. “Come on act like you know me, Don’t you get lonely...Well, don't you treat me like a stranger.” This song is a perfect way to end the album as it feels as if it has come full circle lyrically and melodically. They managed to take an incredibly sad and widespread experience of being close to someone for them only to treat you like a stranger and put an almost upbeat twist on it, something that can be seen throughout a lot of their work.
It is undeniable that Taking Back Sunday is a timeless band that has been making waves for the past twenty years and will probably continue to long after they’re done making music. Fans love them for their highly relatable lyrics, and incredibly mixed beats and it is no surprise why. They have made a name for themselves and experimented with many different genres with almost flawless execution. For any emo or pop-punk fans out there you are sure to find something that you’ll like from this album and if not, they have a pretty extensive discography spanning the past twenty years, and if you're lucky enough to get an opportunity consider checking out one of their live shows to feel all of that emotion and energy from beyond a screen.
