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Rating:
Taking Back Sunday are, if nothing else, definitely likeable. One of the few bands that (willingly or not) belongs to the "emo" scene, whose members don’t spend all their time being aloof or pretending to have a broken heart and other such nonsense. A serious band.
"Louder Now" is their third full-length, and it can safely be said that the "emo" of their debut is definitively buried (can one belong to the emo scene without playing emo? The answer, strange as it may seem, is "yes") in favor of pure rock sounds. Perhaps radio-friendly, but still rock.
Solid riffs, pounding drums, driving rhythms that keep you in time, paired with lots and lots of melody. One could say there’s a bit too much melody and that perhaps a "Louder Now" that was a little harsher would have been better, but it's fine as is. And then there are the choruses. Damn, there are enough choruses on this record to keep any band going for at least 4-5 albums. All damnably catchy: it takes effort not to join Lazzara in singing.
Perhaps the most die-hard fans (do they even exist?) of the edulcorated sounds of the first album will turn up their noses at TBS’s shift, but personally, I am more than happy with it, even though I consider the first album a gem, and from what I’ve seen, “Louder Now” seems to have garnered considerable approval from the group’s fanbase. And the few tracks that aren’t exactly unforgettable are balanced by a favorable rate of hits like the driving "Spin", or the opening trio "What’s It Feel Like To Be A Ghost?", "Liar", and "MakeDamnSure", as well as "Error:Operator" in which the duet between Lazzara and Fred Mascherino perhaps brings the album to its peak, recalling the days of the good Chris Nolan...
Probably due to its "lightness", it won't win over the sympathies of many DeBasers, but for those less elitist willing to try something new that isn't demanding, I feel inclined to recommend it.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 MakeDamnSure (03:32)
You've got this new head filled up with smoke
I've got my veins all tangled close
To the jukebox bars you frequent
The safest place to hide
A long night spent with your most obvious weakness
You start shaking at the thought you are everything I want
'Cause you are everything I'm not
And we lay, we lay together just not
Too close, too close (How close is close enough?)
We lay, we lay together just not
Too close, too close
I just wanna break you down so badly
Well I trip over everything you say
I just wanna break you down so badly
In the worst way
My inarticulate store bought hangover hobby kit
In time, it says, "You, oh, you are so cool."
It says, "Scissor shaped across the bed, you are red, violent red."
You hollow out my hungry eyes
You hollow out my hungry eyes
And we lay, we lay together just not
Too close, too close (How close is close enough?)
We lay, we lay together just not
Too close, too close
I just wanna break you down so badly
Well I trip over everything you say
Well I just wanna break you down so badly
In the worst way
I just wanna break you down so badly
Well I trip over everything you say
I just wanna break you down so badly
In the worst way (worst way)
I'm gonna make damn sure that you can't ever leave
No, you won't ever get too far from me
You won't ever get too far from me
I'll make damn sure that you can't ever leave
No, you won't ever get too far from me
You won't ever get too far from me
You won't ever get too far from me
You won't ever get too far...
I just wanna break you down so badly
Well I trip over everything you say
Well I just wanna break you down so badly
In the worst way (worst way)
I'm gonna make damn sure
I just wanna bring you down so badly
I just wanna bring you down so badly (damn sure)
In the worst way (worst way)
04 Up Against (Blackout) (03:02)
So this is what we're up against. x 2
Face it. This is what we're up, up against.
You're waiting. Every minute is a minute away. x 2
Regrets always work, excuses are better.
A practical exchange or a trade for the truth.
But you know it never held up.
Pretend that it still could now.
Face it. This is what we're up, up against.
You're waiting. Every minute is a minute away. x 2
We're turning our clocks back.
Was never ourselves.
So go with the flow, just relax.
Never feel the jetlag unless you're trying to fit in.
Face it. This is what we're up, up against.
You're waiting. Every minute is a minute away. x 2
Less is more except when it comes to mistakes
How long is long? That depends on how long it takes. x 2
The years. Not months. Not days. Your blackout memory.
Face it. This is what we're up, up against.
You're waiting. Every minute is a minute away. x 2
05 My Blue Heaven (04:09)
Two sides twist and then collide;
You're calling off the guards (Am I coming?)
I'm coming through. (Am I coming?)
Adulteress conditioned to a spin cycled submission,
You know, sometimes it just feels better to give in.
(Sometimes it just feels better to give in.)
And it's all too familiar
And it happens all the time.
All the cards begin to stack up,
Twisting heartache into fine
Little pieces that avoid an awful crime,
But it's you I can't deny.
(You I can't deny.)
Dull heat rises from the sheets.
I'm both a patient boy,
Well, and a jealous man. (Am I coming?)
But double standardized suspicion
Is remedied, oh, my blue heaven,
Sometimes it just feels better to give in.
(Sometimes it just feels better to give in.)
And it's all too familiar
And it happens all the time.
All the cards begin to stack up,
Twisting heartache into fine
Little pieces that avoid an awful crime,
But it's you I can't deny.
(You I can't deny.)
We swing and we sway
As this tiny voice in
My head starts to sing
"You're safe, child, you are safe."
("You're safe, child, you are safe.")
"You're safe, child, you are safe."
We swing and we sway
As this tiny voice in
My head starts to sing
"You're safe, child, you are safe."
"You're safe, child, you are.."
Safe (safe, safe)
You are (safe)
We swing and we sway
As this tiny voice in
My head starts to sing
"You're safe, child, you are safe." (Am I coming?)
"You're safe, child, you are safe." (Am I coming through?)
Is this all too familiar?
Does it happen all the time?
I'm just asking you to hear me.
Could you please, just once, just hear me?
More then anything you wanted to be right.
Still it's you, you, it's you I can't deny.
(You I can't deny.)
It's you I can't deny.
06 Twenty-Twenty Surgery (03:55)
I'll take with me every single luxury when I leave
You can count on me for that and nothing more (Count on me for that and nothing more)
The view from this side's not what
The view from this side's not what
I thought it'd be, promise something different we
Close our eyes and let go of the wheel
It's not the quantity that bothers me (No it's not the quantity that bothers me)
No it's not the quality that bothers me
It's the means, twenty-twenty surgery
Well, twenty-twenty surgery
For cheap (dollar signs doll up, a picture perfect point of view)
Twenty-twenty surgery
Well, twenty-twenty surgery
For cheap (dollar signs doll up, a picture perfect point of view)
Well all young children listen, 'cause they've got so much to learn (Turn it in, tune out)
We'll get you home in time to make the rent should be for free for being me
It's not the quantity that bothers me (No it's not the quantity that bothers me)
No it's not the quality that bothers me
It's the means, twenty-twenty surgery
Well, twenty-twenty surgery
For cheap (dollar signs doll up, a picture perfect point of view)
Twenty-twenty surgery
Well, twenty-twenty surgery
For cheap (dollar signs doll up, a picture perfect point of view)
I do, I don't need you like you think that
I do, I don't, I don't need you like you think that
I do, I don't, I don't need you like you think that
I do, you don't you just don't... leave me alone.
I do, I don't need you like you think that
I do, I don't, I don't need you like you think that
I do, I don't, I don't need you like you think that
I do, you don't you just don't... leave me alone.
Twenty-twenty surgery
Well, twenty-twenty surgery
For cheap (dollar signs doll up, a picture perfect point of view)
Twenty-twenty surgery
Well, twenty-twenty surgery
For cheap (dollar signs doll up, a picture perfect point of view)
You're so sensitive
I am, I am a machine.
You're so sensitive
I am, I am a machine.
You're so sensitive
I am, I am a machine.
You're so sensitive
I am, I am a machine.
07 Spin (03:39)
That look was priceless
Don't let me get carried away
I've seen it before
And it still suits you the same
You catch on quick (you catch on quick)
As the cynics stop before
They give the same review (you catch on quick)
Oh this is where, where the party is
Are you comin home? (are you comin home?)
Are you comin home? (are you comin home?)
You had your chance (you had your chance)
Open arms reject assuming hands (arms reject assuming hands)
You had your chance (you had your chance)
Open arms reject assuming hands
The abortion that you had left you
Clinically dead and made it All that much easier to lie
But its nothing that im proud of (no its nothing that im proud of)
Making an example out of you
Well this is phase one
This is the preview
Well this is phase one
Oh that this is where, where the party is
Are you commin home? (are you comin home?)
Are you comin home? (are you comin home?)
You had your chance (you had your chance)
Open arms reject assuming hands (arms reject assuming hands)
You had your chance (you had your chance)
Open arms reject assuming hands (arms reject assuming hands)
Don't act like you're the first one
I treat it like disease
Sure it's rough around the edges
It's the only thing you see
Don't act like you can't see me
Darling, coming
Don't act like you can't see me
Darling, coming
Don't act like you can't see me
Darling, coming
Don't act like you can't see me coming
You had your chance (you had your chance)
Open arms reject assuming hands (arms reject assuming hands)
You had your chance (you had your chance)
Open arms reject assuming hands (arms reject assuming hands)
You had your chance
You had your chance
You had your chance
08 Divine Intervention (04:14)
Despondent, distracted,
You're vicious and romantic;
These are a few of my favorite things.
All of those flavors and
This is what you choose:
Past the blues, past the blues,
And on to something new,
Something real, make it timeless,
An act of God and nothing less will be accepted.
So if you're calling me out,
Then count me out.
Yeah, we're stubborn and melodramatic,
A real class act.
You see, I know a few of your favorite things.
Five in the morning it all comes up pouring,
Love, out the same way in.
Something real, make it timeless,
An act of God and nothing less will be accepted.
Now if you're calling me out,
Then count me out.
Something real, make it timeless,
An act of God and nothing less will be accepted.
I said real, make it timeless,
An act of God and nothing less will be accepted.
Now if you're calling me out,
Then count me out.
09 Miami (03:41)
The whole truth and nothing but the truth
Stop me if you've heard this one before
The whole truth is nothing but a good excuse
So long as you don't torture me with my past
Let's be honest; a secret silenced is a secret safe
Miami, Miami, Miami
Well every hour on the hour
(every hour on the hour)
You have to, you just have to trust me
Whoever I was then,
I can't ever be again
Reminders, they are not reluctant
So stop me if you've heard this one before
Sideways blinders,
I can't find a way (around a way) around..
Miami, Miami, Miami
Well every hour on the hour
You have to, you just have to trust me
Whoever I was then,
I can't ever be again
The faith you found I never felt (never felt)
The terror held in wedding bells
And comfort in there's no one else
The truth be told I'm never gonna know
Miami Miami Miami
Well every hour on the hour (every hour on the hour)
Unhand me, God damn me, Miami
Whoever I was then I can't ever be again
The terror held in wedding bells
The comfort in there's no one else
The truth be told I'm never gonna know
The terror held in wedding bells
The comfort in there's no one else
The truth be told I'm never gonna know
10 Error: Operator (02:51)
Well there's been an accident (calm down)
There's been an accident, breath
In and out calm down (in and out calm down)
Breath in and out calm down (in and out calm...)
We can't go back
Can't go back
Can't go back, we can't...
We can't go back
Can't go back
Can't go back, we can't...
(Breath in and out calm down)
Well would you do it again, again,
And count backwards from ten,
(Look I don't make those mistakes no more)
Sometimes I swear I could see straight through you
Just concentrate, good try,
(But would you do it again?)
We can't go back,
Can't go back,
Can't go back, we can't...
We can't go back,
Can't go back,
Can't go back, we can't...
We can't go back,
Can't go back,
Can't go back, we can't...
We can't go back,
Can't go back,
Concentrate
just calculate
could you concentrate?
just calculate
won't you concentrate?
just calculate
don't be late
just cancel it
just concentrate
can't be late
just cancel it
just cancel it
could you concentrate?
just calculate
I try, (it's just...)
I try, (it's just...)
I try, (it's just...)
I try, (it's just...)
I tried, (it's just...)
I try, (it's just...)
I tried, (it's just...)
I try, (it's just...)
We can't go back,
Can't go back,
Can't go back, we can't...
We can't go back,
Can't go back,
Can't go back, we can't...
We can't go back,
Can't go back,
Can't go back, we can't...
(This doesn't feel like anything anything, anything anything)
We can't go back.
11 I'll Let You Live (05:08)
The first degree was a riot
You were making sure my lesson's learned
I'm not ashamed but I'm trying
I've come to expect the standards you have set...
Tell me just how dangerous is second best
You've settled for less and I'm sure you'll settle again
There's no stopping me; I'm gutting you out
Does this make you feel safe?
There's no stopping this; I'm gutting you out
Does this make you feel safe?
The closer that I look Is just the further that you get
Already, stubborn skin thickens in attempt to understand
Understand...
There's no stopping me; I'm gutting you out
Does this make you feel safe?
There's no stopping this; I'm gutting you out
Does this make you feel safe?
You've got time (got time); I'm waiting (I'm waiting)
When the guilt subsides, (still waiting) the night begins
And I know it's not what you deserve
Came as a gift from a good friend
That disapproves, but understands
That you represent and actively encourage
All of my worst habits, they all are
Proof that we're both capable of the most terrible things
Don't test me
There's no stopping me; I'm gutting you out
Does this make you feel safe?
There's no stopping this; I'm gutting you out
Does this make you feel safe?
You've got time (got time); I'm waiting (I'm waiting)
When the guilt subsides, (still waiting) the night begins
And I know it's not what you deserve
You've got time (got time); I'm waiting (I'm waiting)
When the guilt subsides, (still waiting) the night begins
And I know it's not what you deserve
How dangerous is second best?
(You'll settle for less)
(You'll settle for less)
Well I know it's not what you deserve
It's not what you deserve
I know it's not what you deserve
I know it's not what you deserve
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