Alkaline Trio
Good Mourning

THE REVIEW

After the success of the previous "From Here To Infirmary," Alkaline Trio is back with "Good Mourning," the fourth studio album, which also features the addition of Derek Grant (ex-Suicide Machines) on drums, replacing Mike Feumlee.

The album title, (literally good mourning), already says a lot about the kind of lyrics and music from the trio; it proves to be a very dark and melancholic album. It further accentuates the band's originality in creating emotional and catchy melodies, yet at the same time very romantic and dark. However, as always, there are also more carefree tunes.

The start is already among the best with "This Could Be Love" which, besides having one of the most successful melodies ever, is truly a great composition. It features a slow and painful rhythm in the verses, excellently interpreted by Matt Skiba, a piece that synthesizes the band's style.

But not to miss anything, the Chicagoans, unlike the previous work, offer us more energetic and very sharp tracks, an example being "We've Had Enough," also released as a single and definitely the most exhilarating of the bunch. A song with decidedly punk-rock hints, quite atypical at least for them, and the overlap of the two voices at the end is excellent. Whereas it returns more to the norm with "100 Stories" sung by Andriano and leaning towards pop-punk. It is followed by the softer "Continental," dedicated to a friend lost to drugs.

"All on Black" is another ballad with strong emo tones, continuing the narrative of the previous track, in which Skiba's excellent vocal performance emerges, playing on the huskier nuances of his voice and concluding with a nice final solo. Definitely one of the best on an emotional level. The melody becomes more light-hearted again with the power-pop-punk of "Emma." The same standards can be found in the festive "Blue Caroline" sung by Andriano.

But the real surprises of the album are certainly in the fury of "Fatally Yours" (which I don't label as hardcore only because the group is not inclined to the genre), a very brief track with a frenzied rhythm, and "Donner Party." In "Every Thug Needs a Lady" there's notable use of an acoustic guitar intertwined with electrics.

The album advances toward its conclusion with "Donner Party," "If We Never Go Inside," and "Blue in the Face." The first of these is the most energetic, followed by the decent and catchy "If We Never Go Inside." The final farewell is with the slow and sweet ballad played only with the acoustic guitar "Blue in the Face."

The album is definitely worth it, although it experiences a slight decline in the second part where the tracks become slightly more predictable. However, the personal touch that the group manages to give to their music is undeniable and recognizable.

In short, we may not be facing another "From Here To Infirmary" or "Crimson," but the album is quite enjoyable to listen to.