There are few bands out there that manage to pull out a corker of an album with every single release, Taking Back Sunday are one of the few I can proudly say I like every single song of theirs I’ve ever heard and this album is no different. From start to finish, it’s just hit after hit of beautifully written and well crafted music.
Throwing back to albums of the past happiness Is opens with an intro track, titled Preface before leading straight into the next track. Preface is a beautiful mix of sounds, including strings which feature further on this album.
Flicker, Fade boasts a huge sing-a-long vibe and the overall orchestral elements add to the track. The guitar is very driving in the chorus. The strings take the melody and really bring scape to the overall song of the song. It’s a truly beautiful song, enhanced by the string breakdown and the lyrics speak straight to the heart.
Stood A Chance is a classic Taking Back Sunday track. It’s catchy as hell and really showcases the band’s exciting and lively nature, which also mean the lyrics are very easy to pick up quickly and you’ll be sure to belt them out loudly and proudly in no time. This tracks drives from beginning to end and is sure to have you up and dancing around.
Beat Up Car is a song to tap your toes along to. Another track with a catchy sing-a-long chorus that you would easily learn quickly. It Takes More is a rock ballad but not in the classic sense of the words. It’s not cheesy, but it is beautiful.
Easily my favourite track on this album is Better Homes & Gardens. Very few break up songs are so well written and presented. This track is simply stunning and the beautiful emotive descriptions by Lazzara really get the feeling across without it being whiny or depressing. A sure fire way to shed light on what a break up can truly be like.
If you purchase any album this year, this should definitely be the one. It’s a very true depiction of life, a roller coaster ride through the ups and downs and throws in a catchy melody or two to boot. A brilliant album for 2014.
9/10
