From Here to Infirmary
Vagrant, 2001
rating: 5.2
reviewer: tamec

The Alkaline Trio, Chicagoland's favorite pop-punk/emo band, are at it again. It seems ages ago that their Asian Man Records full-length debut, Goddamnit, was released; in reality it was only three years previous. That energetic, raw disc provided the majority of their fan base - it's to Alkaline Trio fans what the Blue Album is to Weezer fans. The Trio followed it up with 2000's Maybe I'll Catch Fire, along with an eponymous 7" & rarities collection the same year. Almost exactly one year, a new drummer, and a label change later, we have From Here to Infirmary. Question is, does it return to the sweet punk pastures of Goddamnit  or rehash the formulaic riffs of MICF? Bad news, hombres. Not only does the Trio's first MTV-advertised album lack a wealth of memorable tunes, but the shiny production and dumb n' jaded lyrics are a step in the wrong direction, too. The good side of the coin? It's still a disc full of catchy pop punk, and it still *sounds* like the Alkaline Trio. If you simply must own all of this band's releases, as I must, go for it. Casual fans and those with a one-disc interest should stick to the classic Goddamnit.

1. Private Eye
2. Mr. Chainsaw
3. Take Lots With Alcohol
4. Stupid Kid
5. Another Innocent Girl
6. Steamer Trunk
7. You're Dead
8. Armageddon
9. I'm Dying Tomorrow
10. Bloodied Up
11. Trucks and Trains
12. Crawl

 
Goddamnit
Asian Man, 1998
rating: 7.5
reviewer: robot

If you live in Madison for any length of time, you run into a lot of people who are fanatical about three bands: the Promise Ring, Braid, and Alkaline Trio. Every morning I wake up in this town, I hate the Promise Ring a little bit more, make a mental note to check out Braid, and am more convinced that the Alkaline Trio are the best punk band around right now.

The Trio’s first album, Goddamnit, is a good example of their good points and their not so good points. So, what could be bad about this album? First off, nearly every song deals with girls and alcohol. Of course, girls and alcohol are pretty universal themes. This is a punk band we are talking about; we don’t really expect them to start singing about gucci piggies or wild packs of family dogs any time soon. Second, punk music tends to all sound the same after awhile.

The last couple songs on this album always go by without much notice. However, the first half of this album is extremely rocking. “Clavicle” perfectly sums up the elation and clumsiness that comes with a new crush in a frantic two and a half minutes. The band seems to be in a hurry to get their songs out, banging thro “Cop” and “Cringe”, throwing in drum and bass fills in anywhere they can squeeze them. It’s raw, it‘s loud, it gets the blood pumping and it hits quickly on a gut level.

Within a couple of listens, lyrics to half the songs had permanently carved themselves into my brain. Songs have associated themselves with parts of my life in a way that hasn’t happened in a long time. That’s what is great about the Alkaline Trio: catchy, rocking songs that can really connect with you, or at the least make you want to flail your skinny limbs about in an embarrassing manner.

1. Cringe
2. Cop
3. San Francisco
4. Nose over Tail
5. As You Were
6. Enjoy Your Day
7. Clavicle
8. My Little Needle
9. Southern Rock
10. Message from Kathlene
11. Trouble Breathing
12. Sorry About That