They’re not Emo, Goddamnit!
Those clever marketing folk in the music industry have taken the liberty of re-releasing Alkaline Trio’s debut album, ‘Goddamnit’ 10 years after it’s original release. This is the second time that it’s been re-released as previously it was in re-mastered in 2003 with the addition of 4 extra songs.
Alkaline Trio are lead by the charismatic Matt Skiba, who incidentally was born the day before me, and I would therefore argue that the extra day is what has propelled him to a little more success than my good self. It is his vision, and poetically dark and twisted lyrics that when mixed with the simple punk-rock music ethics works so well and makes the band what they are today influencing many bands across the world.
I probably don’t need to go into too much detail over the songs that are on all versions, but here is a brief run down. Alkaline Trio have been classed for too long as an Emo band, and so those people who love labels and only listen to certain types of music may very well be surprised at what they hear. The Trio are a punk band, but with deep, and dare I say, emotional lyrics. First song, ‘Cringe’ has melodic guitars and a bass as chunky as a size 24 female, but I start to get even more excited over songs like, ‘Cop’ that has such a jiggy punk beat behind great lyrics that always has a tongue firmly in the cheek as they have Matt musing over why someone has become an officer of the law, “Slowly crawling up from the down low // the other cops still call you ‘fatso’ // Short fuse and a top to blow // Unhappy wife, shitty life, hit the bottle,” he sings, before asking, “Why did you become a cop?”
We have ‘Clavicle’ which is a love song, but unless you really listen to the lyrics you don’t realise this, and along with, ‘Message From Kathlene’ have a tenderness to the lyrics that in later albums will be ripped apart with more morbid thoughts and fascinations. Both are cleverly mixed up in raw punk rock songs and this is more evident in the brilliant ‘Trouble Breathing’. Following this is the drug anthem of, ‘My Little Needle’ which is as relevant today as it was when first written, stating how people are willing to give up everything for that high. ‘Southern Rock’ has big riffs that draw you in, whilst there is the other great high tempo songs of ‘San Francisco’ and ‘Nose To Tail’, the latter also appearing later on as one of the 4 raw tracks that are the first that were ever recorded by the band, and you can certainly tell the polished sound of good production and band tightness if you switch between the two.
We also have two acoustic songs, firstly ‘Enjoy Your Day’ which is sung by Dan Andriano, who has a deeper voice that gives great contrast to Matt’s. Before the other one ‘Sorry About That’ which this time is sung by Matt, and is classic acoustic Matt! This then leaves the new tracks, which of course are the raw old tracks. Of these we have the aforementioned version of, ‘Nose Over Tail’ the blistering track, ‘Weak Week’, and ‘Ninety-Seven’ and ‘Sundials’ that both appear on the band’s later self-titled album in 2000.
Originally this album cost $900 to be made in a 5-day period back in 1998, and went on to shift over 200,000 copies with it’s 12 tracks. In 2003, it was re-released with an additional 4 tracks of, ‘Bleeder’, ‘Cooking Wine’, ‘My Friend Peter’ and ‘’97’, which all also appear on the album, ‘Alkaline Trio’, and now, following on from last years successful compilation album and DVD pack of b-sides and rare tracks, ‘Remains’, we have this re-mastered re-issue that apparently will be released with a 12-page booklet and two-hour DVD documentary!
Let’s be completely honest though if you are a fan of the band then this will have you salivating at the mouth like a rabid dog, however if you only listen to the band once in a while and/or already have the original version, then really there isn’t a lot extra musically worth spending your cash on. Personally I’m a big fan of their 2003 album, ‘Good Mourning’ that is darker and morbid but dripping with black humour and self-destruction.
Call them emo-punk, or whatever you want, Alkaline Trio are the leaders in this genre, whatever the hell that is!