Artist: Taking Back Sunday
Album: Louder Now
Label: Warner Bros.
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: April 25, 2006

Overall: 9.4
Music: 9.5
Lyrics: 9.3
Production: 9.0

They’ve got us right where they want us, and that’s hanging onto every word uttered from Adam Lazzara and Fred Mascherino’s lips. The new millenium brought with it, a new-wave of “punk” and “emo” groups, defying the odds and rising to mainstream success. Taking Back Sunday were one such band, with their debut LP “Tell All Your Friends” capturing the ears and hearts of people everywhere. As touring off the album progressed, and the band got more and more attention, lyricist/guitarist John Nolan and bassist Shaun Cooper parted ways with the band, causing an uproar among fans. Finding the missing pieces of their lineup, Taking Back Sunday enlisted the services of Breaking Pangaea guitarist/vocalist Fred Mascherino and new bassist Matt Rubano. The result was 2004’s “Where You Want to Be”, which released to mixed opinions. The album did better than expected and Warner Brothers snatched TBS from Victory’s clutches(thank God), helping to propel them to even greater success. With the release of “Louder Now” the band are on the verge of being the next big thing all over again.

It’s been said that Adam Lazzara is a horrible singer. Yeah, well Bob Nanna wasn’t that hot either, but using his range(or lack thereof), he brought out emotion in the lyrics that helped make Braid one of the best “emo” bands of their time. The same can be said for Adam. He may not have the “American Idol” voice, but what he does works with this band and their lyrics. His vocal style on this album brings all the emotion of TAYF and mixes it with the style of WYWTB. Fred has proven himself yet again as a suitable replacement for John Nolan.

Take “Make Damn Sure” for instance. The dual vocals from Adam and Fred help make the song one of the strongest tracks on the album. You can feel them putting everything into this song.

Every track on here is worth listening to, even the re-worked version of “Error Operator.” To be honest, I like that song a lot.

Eric Valentine(Good Charlotte, Lostprophets) has done TBS justice, helping craft a blend of the previous two albums.

Taking Back Sunday has become a band fans of this genre should be proud to have fronting the scene and representing it in the mainstream.

Track Listing
1. What It Feels Like To Be A Ghost
2. Liar (It Takes One To Know One)
3. MakeDamnSure
4. Up Against (Blackout)
5. My Blue Heaven
6. Twenty-Twenty Surgery
7. Spin
8. Divine Intervention
9. Miami
10. Error Operator
11. I’ll Let You Live