Alkaline Trio: Damnesia

Alkaline Trio
Damnesia
Heart & Skull/Epitaph Records [2011]









Fire Note Says: Alkaline Trio celebrate 15 years and unplug for Damnesia.

Album Review:
I don't know that I ever thought that Alkaline Trio would release an semi-unplugged album but that is exactly what Damnesia represents, as it offers two new songs, twelve reworked fan favorites covering their 15 year career and a cover of "I Held Her In My Arms" originally released by the Violent Femmes. Alkaline Trio have included more acoustic driven tracks on their previous records so Damnesia is not a stretch for the band by any means and for most of the record's 50 minute running time, this album will entertain current fans. This format really pulls you into Alkaline Trio's lyrics, which are stronger than you probably ever thought and when the band includes an explicative you really know they mean it hearing it acoustic. The Violent Femmes cover is perfunctory but the new songs work and some of the classics like "Private Eye" sound very fresh. Overall, Damnesia was a good idea but I would have liked to seen some of these tracks really re-worked and possibly deconstructed down to almost nothing. I don't think many will argue that Damnesia is too long and Alkaline Trio would have benefited from trimming several of the tracks out but some of the upbeat snappiness found on songs like opener "Calling All Skeletons" and the peppy "You've Got So Far To Go" go a long way and still prove this was not a bad idea as fans should still enjoy this outing.

Key Tracks: "Calling All Skeletons". "You've Got So Far To Go", "Olde English 800"

Bands With Similar Fire:
Saves The Day
Face To Face
The Get Up Kids

Alkaline Trio: This Addiction [Fire Note Review 2/23/10]
Alkaline Trio: Agony & Irony [Fire Note Review 9/25/08]

Alkaline Trio Website
Alkaline Trio Facebook
Epitaph Records

-Reviewed by Christopher Anthony