Alkaline Trio - Crimson

Though the current world of Alkaline Trio is not nearly as fraught with and fueled by drink and drama as in the band's formative years, the making of the new Crimson (out May 24 on Vagrant), was not without its share of dark portents: Two bone-shattering skateboarding accidents, one PunkVoter tour that failed to block the reelection of George W. Bush... but oddly enough: No failed relationships!

As a result Crimson stands as the most mature and ambitious 13 songs Alkaline Trio has ever pushed itself to create-with able guidance from producer Jerry Finn (Green Day, Blink-182, Jawbreaker). From the ominous piano and atmospherics opening of first single "Time To Waste" to closing ballad "Smoke," not a moment or note is wasted as the familiar Trio balance of darkness and melody on "Mercy Me," "Dethbed" and "The Poison" nestles up against increasingly progressive tempos and arrangements of "Burn" and "Satin," and the epic true-to-life tales of Manson family member Sadie Mae Glutz ("Sadie") and the West Memphis Three ("Prevent This Tragedy"). Album Description

Crimson

Matt Skiba's voice gives Alkaline Trio's music an indefinable quality. I stopped listening to punk music a couple of years ago, but found a couple of files from 'From Here to Infirmary' on my PC about 2 years back. The first song on the album had me hooked, and a year later I got hold of Good Mourning, a brilliant, haunting pop punk album.

Crimson doesn't disappoint, carrying forward the Trio's weird lyrical sensibilities and poppy feel. The second listen had me humming along to one of the only bands I've heard in a while who seem distinguishable from the mass of generic sounding mall punk anthems out there.
December 18, 2007

A terrific album from a band that has always had potential

I am saddened to hear the reviews of "they sold out" or "their sound has finally become pop" and the similar cries of embittered fans. The simple fact of the matter is the band has improved their production quality and softened their music a little - although nowhere near enough to justify a "sellout" accusation.

In past albums, Goddamnit!, for example, there was a raw, young punk feeling to the band. Compare, if you will, to Taking Back the Covers or many of the bands on the Springman label. Bands grow up. Punk doesn't *inevitably* lead to pop, but when the angst that starts creativity leads to intelligent songwriting, harmonies and more complex chord work, the hard edge that sometimes brings us to punk gets lost.

But, listen to The Poison on Crimson, or Back to Hell, and you'll realize that it's the same band that recorded Goddamnit! and From Here to Infirmary.

People have said that the star of the album is really Mercy Me. I'm also a complete sucker for harmony, and Mercy Me has harmonies that almost evoke Brian Wilson. However, listeners will also find a real treat in the next track, Dethbed, which has the same harmonies with a more morbid, darker overtone to it, which is frankly more reminiscent of their earlier recordings (which listeners seem to be looking for).

The songwriting is so intelligent, the composition of the music itself is intelligent itself, and what Alkaline Trio has produced in Crimson is a damn good album.

Bitter "we knew them first" fans should realize that bands grow, and that sometimes their fans don't grow with them as quickly. The good news is for these fans is that there *are* bands out there right now cutting their teeth on punk, like Amazing Transparent Man, who will do more than enough to satisfy when "The Trio" goes "pop." June 6, 2007

This albulm is O.K.

If you've never listened to alkaline trio before do not get this albulm, its ok i guess, but it is nothing compared to goddamnit! or self-titled April 24, 2007

Strong Album

Solid 4 stars. If there were 4.5 stars I'd give it that. Not their best but definitely on the better end of the spectrum. Probably their best album from a continuity standpoint, however. April 7, 2007

"Crimson" is the worst of the best

Make no mistake about it, Alkaline Trio is an amazing band. Their raw energy, pure emotion, and cleverly crafted macabre themes have consistently come across as genuine...until "Crimson". This album, though musically very good, comes across as forced, as if they were told to write a lyrically dark and depressing album but not given their usual amount of creative license. While this album is lacking in that respect, it is still quite good and worth listening to. January 25, 2007

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