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Photo – Ashley Osborn

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Taking Back Sunday’s presence in the music scene of the 2000’s is certainly undeniable. With hits such as ‘Cute Without The ‘E’,’ ‘You’re So Last Summer’ and ‘MakeDamnSure,’ every kid who was or still is present in emo culture knows their name. Two decades later, Taking Back Sunday are still showing the music world that they haven’t lost their touch, releasing their latest album ‘152’ due October 27th, with the name referring to the exit ramp pictured on their debut album ‘Tell All Your Friends.’

The band dropped their first track ‘Amphetamine Smiles’ as a little teaser in September, giving the audience just a taste of what was to come for the new album. The song is an anthem proclaiming self-care and self-preservation with passionate pleading vocals and set to a crescendoing instrumental. The lyrics prompt the listener to think about those around them and how they may be fighting their own battles behind closed doors. Continuing on with the intensity of ‘Amphetamine Smiles’, ‘S’old’ is a dynamic, fiery track, reminiscent of the classic Taking Back Sunday sound that helped them gain popularity. The presence of an electronic melody in the song alongside the lead vocal melody brings it into the musical trends of the 2020’s adding a lively and engaging layer of sound into the track that makes listening to it all the more enjoyable. The release of these two tracks before the album release really sets the tone for what the album is like, passionate vocals, emotional lyrics and a new take on a familiar sound that invites you in with ease.

Next on the album is ‘The One’, a love letter in a song to not only the person mentioned in the song’s lyrics, but to their original sound. This song very quickly became my favourite in the album’s lineup and I can just see people singing along to this in their car, windows down, with not a care in the world. ‘The One’ is a musical hug and kiss on the cheek, a wholesome dedication of love. The band’s drummer Mark O’Connell admitted that their goal for this album was to make people feel emotion when listening to the songs and I wholeheartedly believe they’ve hit that nail on the head. ‘Keep Going’ ties into the messages of ‘Amphetamine Smiles’ of no one knowing truly what you experience in life except for yourself set to a dynamic drum beat, a choral vocal riff, and pitch-perfect harmonies. To me, ‘Keep Going’ is almost like a therapy confession with the lyrics resembling pouring out their heart, confessing to memories they have and emotions they feel. The song is a fun, upbeat track hiding heartbreak and memories in the lyrics, much like how in reality people mask their struggles with an ‘I’m fine.’

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‘I Am The Only One Who Knows You’ follows in the lineup, effortlessly pulling at the heartstrings of any listener. The song’s intimate lyrics are paired beautifully with an arrangement that conveys the passion and emotion of the meaning behind them while also keeping a sense of reservation and intimacy. Powerful, but not overpowering, ‘I Am The Only One Who Knows You’ balances perfectly on that dividing line with its delicate and passionate vocals and instrumental counterpart. ‘Quit Trying’ and ‘Lightbringer’ begin the second half of the album. ‘Quit Trying’ showcases the raw power of lead singer Adam Lazzara as he sings about embracing who you are in a ‘quit trying to change yourself’ kind of way (hence the song’s title and hook lyric). ‘Quit Trying’ is sure to be a timeless hit, just as the message itself is, and an anthem for anyone who feels the need to change themselves to fit in. ‘Lightbringer’ begins with an atmospheric electronic vibe that introduces stripped back vocals and harmonies that allow the listener to completely immerse themself in the song, similar to the experience of stargazing out in the country. The familiar rock sound of Taking Back Sunday takes over to complete the second half of the song after being built up, crashing like a wave of overwhelming emotion. I really enjoyed listening to ‘Lightbringer’ and the combination of the spacey, atmospheric sound with their classic rock as I feel like it brings the band into the more modern musical trends while still preserving the integrity of their musical sound.

In true Taking Back Sunday fashion of having fun song titles in their albums, ‘New Music Friday’ takes the spot on ‘152.’ The track follows a similar atmospheric sound and message to ‘Lightbringer’ while lyrically focuses more on an internal assessment and standing on your own feet. ‘New Music Friday’ is an upbeat track that is sure to get anyone up and dancing along while shouting and proclaiming their truth after their acceptance of their flaws and own identity, because dancing without the weight of the world on your shoulders is so much easier. ‘Juice 2 Me’ emanates 80’s glam rock, Aerosmith, and KISS with one hell of a guitar riff intro, banging drums and lyrics telling of a celebration of freedom and change. It’s not hard to start bopping your head alongside the drum beats. It reminds me a lot of ‘Gives You Hell’ by the All American Rejects in the sense that it’s a ‘goodbye, good riddance!’ song that makes you feel all hyped up, giving you the courage to say what needs to be said.

Rounding out one hell of an album is ‘The Stranger,’ the perfect end to the journey that Taking Back Sunday has taken the listener on through the form of the other tracks. The heartache in the lyrics is performed perfectly, building this tension and yearning that you can’t seem to stop listening to. Taking Back Sunday mentioned that the album’s goal is to make the listener feel like they’re not alone and I think it’s the clearest in ‘The Stranger.’ The lyrics beg to not ‘treat me like a stranger,’ encouraging the listener to reach out to those around them even when they’re feeling at their loneliest because there’ll always be someone there to help you through whatever tough times you’re facing.

As a whole, ‘152’ by Taking Back Sunday allows people to see a glimpse of their lives reflected back to them. Whether it’s loneliness, longing, acceptance of oneself, or the regaining of freedom, There is a track on the album that will hold your hand as you sing along and let those emotions flow out into the universe. If there’s one thing Taking Back Sunday know how to do it’s create songs that make you feel your emotions, and the tracks on ‘152’ are no exception. It’s like free therapy!

Stream S’old here

Pre-order 152 here

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TAKING BACK SUNDAY
Upcoming 2023 Shows:

GOOD THINGS FESTIVAL 2023

FEATURING
FALL OUT BOY
LIMP BIZKIT
DEVO
I PREVAIL, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, COREY TAYLOR
PENNYWISE, SPIDERBAIT, SLOWLY SLOWLY, ENTER SHIKARI
BEHEMOTH, SEPULTURA, TAKING BACK SUNDAY, PVRIS
& MANY MORE

FRIDAY 1 DECEMBER – FLEMINGTON RACECOURSE, MELBOURNE (LIC AA)
SATURDAY 2 DECEMB ER – CENTENNIAL PARK, SYDNEY (18+)
SUNDAY 3 DECEMBER – SHOWGROUNDS, BRISBANE (LIC AA)

Tickets from www.oztix.com.au

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152
TRACK LISTING:

01. Amphetamine Smiles
02. S’old
03. The One
04. Keep Going
05. I Am the Only One Who Knows You
06. Quit Trying
07. Lightbringer
08. New Music Friday
09. Juice 2 Me
10. The Stranger

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Follow TAKING BACK SUNDAY
Website – Instagram – Facebook
Twitter – Youtube

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Credit: DJay Brawner

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Press Release 5th September 2023 (below) HERE

TAKING BACK SUNDAY
announce new album
152

Acclaimed rock band’s
first album in seven years
Out October 27

Band shares new single
S’OLD

Performing in Australia
this December at
GOOD THINGS FESTIVAL

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AMNPLIFY – DB