Alkaline Trio charges back onto the pop punk scene with its April 2 release, \u201cMy Shame Is True,\u201d a well-written collection of sorrowful ballads and catchy rock songs.<\/p>\n
Guitarist and vocalist Matt Skiba took an emotional approach to writing the record, saying in an interview with \u201cSpin\u201d magazine, \u201cThis record was catharsis \u2026 I just wrote this one more as like a love letter to my ex-girlfriend or an apology note set to music.\u201d<\/p>\n
Skiba\u2019s romantic sentiments are evident throughout \u201cMy Shame Is True,\u201d resulting in one of the most affecting albums in Alkaline Trio\u2019s lengthy library.<\/p>\n
One of the album\u2019s more somber songs, \u201cMidnight Blue,\u201d begins with only vocals and guitar, giving the song an intimate feel, as though the listener is eavesdropping on a private conversation about the loss of a relationship. The instrumentation builds, perfectly complementing Skiba\u2019s sincere vocals, save for the lead guitar, which is unfittingly blithe.<\/p>\n
\u201cI Wanna Be a Warhol,\u201d a song about longing to be remembered, is equally personal.<\/p>\n
With an upbeat guitar and synthesizer behind him, Skiba sings, \u201cI wanna be a Warhol \/ Displayed on your wall \/ Hung up and staring back at you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bassist Dan Andriano also contributes poignant song writing to the album with the confessional \u201cI\u2019m Only Here to Disappoint\u201d and the angst-fueled \u201cI, Pessimist,\u201d which features Rise Against front man Tim McIlrath as a guest vocalist.<\/p>\n
The band surprises on the album with a number of songs that feel more like the band members\u2019 solo material than Alkaline Trio songs.<\/p>\n
\u201cKiss You to Death,\u201d \u201cUntil Death Do Us Part\u201d and \u201cOne Last Dance,\u201d noticeably void of the Trio\u2019s trademark macabre metaphors, feel like songs from Skiba\u2019s side project, Matt Skiba and the Sekrets.<\/p>\n
Andriano makes the most dramatic musical deviation from the Alkaline Trio sound with \u201cOnly Love,\u201d a song with a piano part that would feel more at home in a Coldplay song. The deviation works, however, and the song is by far the most accomplished on the album, perfectly capturing the bonding power of love.<\/p>\n
Despite a clear move in a new direction, \u201cMy Shame Is True\u201d does contain some throwbacks to the old Alkaline Trio style, such as the rhythmic, guitar-heavy \u201cTorture Doctor,\u201d a song about serial killer Dr. H. H. Holmes.<\/p>\n
The most back-to-roots song on the album is \u201cThe Temptation of St. Anthony,\u201d which sounds like a long-lost song from the band\u2019s 2000 release \u201cMaybe I\u2019ll Catch Fire.\u201d<\/p>\n
The bare-bones production is highlighted by Andriano\u2019s elaborate bass playing and Skiba\u2019s powerful vocals.<\/p>\n
With a simple vocal melody and guitar part, \u201cShe Lied to the FBI\u201d is also a nod to older Alkaline Trio songs, although it lacks the lyrical magic of earlier material.<\/p>\n
Although there are a few instances of stale lyrics, Alkaline Trio, nine studio albums into its career, has recorded a fresh, impactful record, mixing just the right amount of new ideas into its tried-and-true formula, earning \u201cMy Shame Is True\u201d 4.5 out of 5 stars.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Alkaline Trio charges back onto the pop punk scene with its April 2 release, \u201cMy Shame Is True,\u201d a well-written collection of sorrowful ballads and catchy rock songs. Guitarist and vocalist Matt Skiba took an emotional approach to writing the record, saying in an interview with \u201cSpin\u201d magazine, \u201cThis record was catharsis \u2026 I just…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"staff_name":[603],"class_list":["post-7948","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-arts-entertainment","staff_name-matt-narlesky"],"yoast_head":"\n