Gothic Theatre
Alkaline Trio
ALKALINE TRIO’S new album From Here To Infirmary is a collection so stunning that it rendered their new label, (us), speechless upon delivery, (one HELLUVA a hard thing to do). The Trio has managed to put together a masterpiece on this, their third full length studio album. It is everything a punk record should be: dark; moving; cynical; hopeful; wide-eyed and world weary all at the same time. It deals with life and death, drinking and drugs, love found and lost, and of course, more drinking and drugs. It will confirm your worst fears about the human condition and comfort your inner child. Ok…here is the bio….but if you know whats good for you, you will skip it and go hit play on your stereo. NOW!!!! GO!!!!
1997: Barely out of infancy, the Alkaline Trio have already released a demo, a seven-inch, and struck up a relationship with California indie Asian Man Records, with whom the band release the For Your Lungs Only EP. Also early in the game: exit bass player Rob Doran, enter bass player/songwriter Dan Andriano, solidifying the lineup for a while.
1998: What gets the kids excited is so gorgeously pure it’s almost too sweet: Three guys, two different-but-complementary kinds of songs (Matt’s and Danny’s), and a fanbase growing so organically it’s almost fungal. Kids (and their older brothers) come out to see Alkaline Trio—and buy their amazing first record, Goddamnit—because they truly love this fucked-up pop band. The feeling is mutual, and that never hurts.
1999: Maybe I’ll Catch Fire is the band’s second full-length and an unwitting description of its success as, without doing anything other than playing these great songs like they always have, Alkaline Trio has become—no surprise—pretty fucking popular. The record itself remains true to the band’s sound, blaring away while occasionally flirting with a newfound mellow. Kids still like, older brothers like even though they’re supposed to be listening to post-rock.
2000: Tour, tour, tour, write, write, write, play, play, play, get even better. Exit longtime drummer Glenn Porter, enter former Smoking Popes drummer Mike Felumlee. A self-titled CD released by Asian Man compiles out-of-print (and now in-demand) EP’s and non-album tracks, including a cover of the Cure’s “Exploding Boy.” The band hooks up with another California indie, Vagrant Records, heads to Pachyderm Studios in Minnesota to record a new album to be recorded with longtime producer Matt Allison and mixed by Jerry Finn, a man who’s made similarly-minded bands (Jawbreaker and Green Day, among others) sound great. Now: The band’s blazing third album is From Here To Infirmary, and everything you’ve come to expect you’ll find: Matt sings the raucous heartbreakers and Danny sings the weepy heartbreakers; either way, your heart is fucked. Whether with their alcohol-fueled love songs or their love-fueled alcohol songs, Alkaline Trio will move you with something you’ve seen a million times before—by showing it to you in a way you’ve never seen it.
