ALBUM REVIEW: Is This Thing Cursed? – Alkaline Trio

The notorious ALKALINE TRIO are back with another release, Is This Thing Cursed? After a career spanning two decades, and nine full length albums, can the punk legends keep their lofty status?

Kicking off the titular Is This Thing Cursed? echoes around your head, while pianos tinkle and Matt Skiba’s vocals, distinctive and deep as ever bounce around. The song itself is good fun, bouncy and well balanced between Skiba and Dan Andriano’s vocals. A good anthem to start off this record, it’s lyrically easy to follow and will no doubt be the crowd pleaser from this album.

Blackbird has almost a ska feel, inflicting a little of that warped and implementing plenty of energy that flows easily through the song, and in it’s joyous springiness, there’s a tinge of that darker undertone. It’s nice to see that ALKALINE TRIO are keeping things both catchy but also not being afraid to play around with prior expectations. Latest single from this record, Demon and Division, pulls you in with a decent riff, and feels like some of their younger work. It’s no surprise that ALKALINE TRIO know exactly what they’re doing with their sound. It’s a breezy, summertime track that’s reminiscent of a newer band’s fresh energy, but here, they pack the style and experience to really get it working.

Another romp into the fast-vocal delivery, pumping guitars and skippy drums we expect and enjoy, Little Help is completely on par with the other tunes on this album. It’s a consistency that comes with knowing quality and what fans want, and works perfectly. I Can’t Believe is a heartfelt and pretty beefed up song, with a little more fat to chew on that the springy track before. It’s still full of the same energy, but its somehow more grounded, for those who are looking for a slightly deeper, more earnest kind of track.

Another quiet, chugging story bobs along in the symbolic narrative of Sweet Vampires. It’s always nice to hear a band like ALKALINE TRIO having a blast making a record like this, with lots of bands of a similar genre and longevity either straying into new and oftentimes self-indulgent avenues, or else feeling tired. ALKALINE TRIO feel neither of these here. Much the same can be said of Pale Blue Ribbon and Goodbye Fire Island. New fans of punk will be hard pressed to find a better album than this, and the album as a whole stands up to the standards of previous albums. There’s always a genuine heart in the songs, a layered experience for all. On the surface this is a package of high volume, easy to digest punk music, while the more you feel and look into it, are songs written with real feelings, not just for a mass audience, but because the band still have something to say.

Another corker simmers with Stay, a little more a slow boil than a roaring froth here, just what the album needs at this point, while Heart Attacks pummels along adequately, a mid range, chilled out tune. After ten songs, Worn So Thin might feel a little punk by numbers. There’s nothing wrong with it at all, however it’s a jam-packed album that may need a little spacing between listening to each track to truly appreciate every track.

The penultimate Throw Me To the Lions is another attention grabber, with a fresh injection of power and mastery over the genre. Honestly, almost any track on Is This Thing Cursed? could be the next single, the consistency is so apparent across the board. A psychedelic start leads us into the finale, Krystalline, like the haze of a memory of a good night. Acoustic guitars and a big heart, it’s a great ending to an almost no filler album.

Another crammed full album from ALKALINE TRIO then, where the fun, heart and atmosphere is packed to the absolute brim. It’s an impressive feat to keep creatively fresh, while still being effortlessly pleasing to the ear, Is This Thing Cursed? is testament to the band’s continued passion and knock out performances.

Rating: 8/10

Is This Thing Cursed? is out August 31st via Epitaph Records.

Like ALKALINE TRIO on Facebook.