Taking Back Sunday "152" Review
A concise encapsulation of a band’s twenty-plus year-long tenure is hard to achieve, but Taking Back Sunday’s eighth album 152 seems to have accomplished just this. The most signature elements cherry-picked from their entire discography are found within, from the angst-ridden vocal performances of their earliest works to the driving rock ‘n’ roll of their more recent releases. This album sums everything quintessential and identifiable about Taking Back Sunday into a single listen.
The strong dynamic range the band present in their songwriting is evident from the start, with album opener “Amphetamine Smiles” led by a smooth acoustic rhythm before briefly exploding into the stadium-rock anthem “S’old.” “Keep Going” is quick-footed and aggressive in its verses and theatrical and expressive in its chorus, and cleverly evokes the sounds and energy of the band’s 2006’s breakout album, Louder Now. “I Am The Only One who Knows You” and “New Music Friday” ease the brakes on a hard hitting album, picking their moments to open up instrumentally, but tastefully dialed back to showcase the vulnerable and emotional vocal performances of frontman Adam Lazzara. Whether it be powerful bellows or soft and nuanced whispers, Lazzara’s dynamic range is fully utilized throughout the record.
Lazarra’s showmanship and vocal prowess are accented and supported by instrumentals equally as tasteful and dynamic. Drummer Mark O’Connell’s hard-hitting playing is on full display, with a very prominent role in the mix and a huge sound to match the larger-than-life energy to his playing. Picking blink-and-miss it moments to weave subtle fills between driving hi-hat and crash beats. Another key element in Taking Back Sunday’s iconic brand of rock music that can easily be overlooked is bassist Shaun Cooper. Particularly noteworthy is album closer “The Stranger,” where Cooper both drives the song along and weaves around the vocal melody and John Nolan’s tasteful guitar pickings, with catchy licks and fills strewn throughout the entirety of the song.
To present an album that is both an homage to an artist’s legacy and a modern presentation of that artist is a difficult balance to strike, but 152 does not struggle at all to achieve this feat. Taking Back Sunday has proven once again why their name has not left the rock and punk scenes, with an impressive outing that captures the energy, emotion, intensity, and fun of the band all in a brief whirlwind of ten songs.
7.5 / 10
