By
Adam Pugh
Alkaline Trio
From Here to Infirmary
(Vagrant Records)
Grade: A
A surge of pop-rock happiness floods the airwaves of mainstream radio everyday. But, thankfully, the Alkaline Trio is the antithesis of this tiresome genre of Prozac-fueled happiness.
The Trio has been signed to a new label, Vagrant Records, and its new album is the group's best yet. The sound and style of the music and lyrics focus on the low points of life - break-ups, alcohol, drugs and failure - that make From Here to Infirmary an emotional roller-coaster to which listeners can relate.
The music is punk at its core, but the lyrics are what makes this group's sound so different. The Trio succeeds at taking individual struggles and making them both frank and real. Lines from songs like "You're Dead" make even the worst situations sound OK:
"We all go away to a better place I am told/ But with you around I feel nothing but cold/ and I now have nothing/but your heartbeat in my head."
The poetry the Trio has infused into this latest record makes some of the more negative lyrics easier to swallow. Basically, this is not just another punk band - Trio's emotions are true and honest, making for an album that will go above and beyond the audience's expectations.
With two previous records in its pocket, the Alkaline Trio has managed to maintain its same, stand-out style while implementing a more mature sound. The group has held onto its individuality by walking away from the mainstream music scene. This is what makes From Here to Infirmary a personal and easy-to-relate-to record.
