When you are the front man and lead vocalist, of one the world's premier alternative punk-rock bands, life is busy; what with the consistent writing, recording, promoting, touring, all that rigmarole. When you find yourself heavily involved with TWO of the most premier alternative punk-rock bands on the planet, well that’s just an insane amount of pressure, an insane workload and a very demanding schedule to say the least. Few people could cope with such a high level of persistent, professional proficiency, but then again, few people are Matt Skiba. Well, I say few, there’s only one...and he’s Matt Skiba, but I digress.
Over the past ten years or so, Matt has juggled ALKALINE TRIO, from 2013’s “My Shame Is True”, 2018’s “Is This Thing Cursed?”, a self-titled 2020 EP, live shows performing 8 studio albums in full AND supporting THE MISFITS...as well as being a replacement for Tom DeLonge in BLINK 182, releasing two studio albums with them; 2016’s “California”, and 2019’s “Nine”. Not to mention Blink’s tours as well. Where do you draw the line between flowing creativity and fucking kamikaze pilot? Intending to burn out much? 2024 finds Matt return to the fold with Alkaline Trio, as he reunites with Dan Andriano, alongside new drummer Atom Willard, to release their latest album “Blood, Hair, And Eyeballs”. Why don’t you throw in some worm's wort and frogs' breath while you’re at it? Let’s check it out...
We kick off with a little play on VAN HALEN’s “Hot For Teacher”, courtesy of opening track “Hot For Preacher”, but we’re not talking extra-curricular activities here, nor are we dabbling in any sort of secret sins in the sacrisity with choir boy of the month. It’s in fact, seemingly a stab at modern society and damning indictment on the state of humanity. It’s as if, in a world where we scream for individuality and acceptance, the simultaneous juxtaposition of not being allowed to have that freedom of thought looms over. People preach of inclusivity, rights and equality to an obsequious level of hypocrisy. Imagine having your cake, eating it, and still complaining someone else also had cake. This is the world we live in.
You can be who you want to be, so long as it suits others. Lines like “Your path has been chosen, your voice has been torn out at the roots, what else is new?”, and “We are so far, so lost, it’s true, we can’t attempt to start anew, we lost our way so long ago”...it’s a defeatist viewpoint but sadly ON point. Juggling hope and criticism. All this is delivered with a fine slab of catchy, energetic, gang-vocal led angst, and it’s a fine opener indeed.
Dan takes up vocal duty on “Versions Of You” and we’ve got a slightly off-kilter instrumental presentation, it’s quirky for the most part before we’re hit with a classic sounding Alkaline Trio chorus, rich in simple hooks melody. A highly cathartic and reflective track; it speaks of a mixture of infidelity, distrust and dishonesty, via self-reflection and coming to terms with a dead relationship. It deals with being lied to and catfished, the victim blaming and the disintegration of a connection through no fault of your own. You fell for the person, while falling for the person if you will. It’s actually comically relatable this one. “I can only say how fully disappointed I am”.
Further album highlights include “Break”, which has this intense build up to a deep, hard-hitting piano-backed punk-pop riff. It’s an almost maniacal dose of social commentary, in its own ways watching the world fall apart around you with a sense of “I told you so”. It’s very nihilistic in presentation, very defeatist, but when it's done like this, I.E, done properly, it shows you how poor Green Day’s newest album is in terms of getting messages across. There’s bite to this and it gets you pumped up.
Lyrics like “Like a werewolf in a dungeon or the bride of Frankenstein” highlight a sense of chaos, confusion and horror, what are we doing here? The world is a mess, and the chorus sums it up brilliantly. “When we break down, when we fall apart, you’ll be there smiling ear to ear and splashing around in our blood, screaming, god damnit I cannot get enough”. No matter what we do, or what we say, we’re all watching the world burn, and it’s laughable, because we’re all so focused on all of the wrong things. We’re in an abusive relationship with the world, and Jerry Springer isn’t around to open our eyes and ears with his final thoughts.
The title track on paper sounds like the beginnings of a spell or, a potion of sorts, and it’s apt as lyrically we’re dealing with a sense of heartache and bitterness. “We lost touch, and you left town, you said, I never ever want to see your mother fucking face again”, but it’s a song about self-love, self-care and finding your feet again, in a numbed state of mental and emotional recovery. It’s equally vitriolic and therapeutic. But, it’s delivered under the veil of a wonderfully jovial guitar tone for an up-beat pop-rock aesthetic.
Tracks like “Bad Time” hark back to the sounds of “Crimson” in ways, and it’s a song of longing for love, riddled with excuses and obstacles, because life gets in the way, however absurd. Some of the album is more a case of blood, sweat and tears however, as tracks like “Meet Me” have patches of lazy lyricism, heavy on repetition, though it does house a lovely, lulling bridge. “Hinterlude” is a brief instrumental and a play on words...an album interlude, taking in the peace and solitude of the moment, while a hinterland depicts an area lying beyond what is visible or known...the blissfulness of nothing if you will. And while quaint within context, it really is an empty minute.
We rather brutally finish up on another slab of social commentary courtesy of “Teenage Heart”, and it takes a stab, or a shot if you will, at the mental health of today’s youth in America. “All I want for Christmas is an AR-15, my stocking stuffed with fentanyl. Drop like a fly at the ripe age of 16, wishing I had I friend to call”. It touches on school shootings and the negative mindset of today’s youth, painting a truly morbid picture. I guess the blood, hair and eyeballs are plastered over the school corridors, which is no laughing matter. Unless it’s art class. Jackson Pollock would be proud. I jest.
Alkaline Trio do have a distinct sound and overall vibe, that’s for sure, and it does separate them from an abundance of mediocrity. The darkness of their songwriting, the dual vocal presentation allowing for exploration of themes, emotions and storytelling, and the undeniable ability to write some of the catchiest alternative rock songs is something any band would be envious of. Is this their finest work? Arguably not, but it doesn’t make it a poor record by any means. The satirical lyricism, the hooks, the poetic misery and danceable qualities to the depressive nature of their content makes them truly unique. Add “Blood, Hair, And Eyeballs” to your shopping list, it’s a recipe for a good time, I promise. [8]
Over the past ten years or so, Matt has juggled ALKALINE TRIO, from 2013’s “My Shame Is True”, 2018’s “Is This Thing Cursed?”, a self-titled 2020 EP, live shows performing 8 studio albums in full AND supporting THE MISFITS...as well as being a replacement for Tom DeLonge in BLINK 182, releasing two studio albums with them; 2016’s “California”, and 2019’s “Nine”. Not to mention Blink’s tours as well. Where do you draw the line between flowing creativity and fucking kamikaze pilot? Intending to burn out much? 2024 finds Matt return to the fold with Alkaline Trio, as he reunites with Dan Andriano, alongside new drummer Atom Willard, to release their latest album “Blood, Hair, And Eyeballs”. Why don’t you throw in some worm's wort and frogs' breath while you’re at it? Let’s check it out...
We kick off with a little play on VAN HALEN’s “Hot For Teacher”, courtesy of opening track “Hot For Preacher”, but we’re not talking extra-curricular activities here, nor are we dabbling in any sort of secret sins in the sacrisity with choir boy of the month. It’s in fact, seemingly a stab at modern society and damning indictment on the state of humanity. It’s as if, in a world where we scream for individuality and acceptance, the simultaneous juxtaposition of not being allowed to have that freedom of thought looms over. People preach of inclusivity, rights and equality to an obsequious level of hypocrisy. Imagine having your cake, eating it, and still complaining someone else also had cake. This is the world we live in.
You can be who you want to be, so long as it suits others. Lines like “Your path has been chosen, your voice has been torn out at the roots, what else is new?”, and “We are so far, so lost, it’s true, we can’t attempt to start anew, we lost our way so long ago”...it’s a defeatist viewpoint but sadly ON point. Juggling hope and criticism. All this is delivered with a fine slab of catchy, energetic, gang-vocal led angst, and it’s a fine opener indeed.
Dan takes up vocal duty on “Versions Of You” and we’ve got a slightly off-kilter instrumental presentation, it’s quirky for the most part before we’re hit with a classic sounding Alkaline Trio chorus, rich in simple hooks melody. A highly cathartic and reflective track; it speaks of a mixture of infidelity, distrust and dishonesty, via self-reflection and coming to terms with a dead relationship. It deals with being lied to and catfished, the victim blaming and the disintegration of a connection through no fault of your own. You fell for the person, while falling for the person if you will. It’s actually comically relatable this one. “I can only say how fully disappointed I am”.
Further album highlights include “Break”, which has this intense build up to a deep, hard-hitting piano-backed punk-pop riff. It’s an almost maniacal dose of social commentary, in its own ways watching the world fall apart around you with a sense of “I told you so”. It’s very nihilistic in presentation, very defeatist, but when it's done like this, I.E, done properly, it shows you how poor Green Day’s newest album is in terms of getting messages across. There’s bite to this and it gets you pumped up.
Lyrics like “Like a werewolf in a dungeon or the bride of Frankenstein” highlight a sense of chaos, confusion and horror, what are we doing here? The world is a mess, and the chorus sums it up brilliantly. “When we break down, when we fall apart, you’ll be there smiling ear to ear and splashing around in our blood, screaming, god damnit I cannot get enough”. No matter what we do, or what we say, we’re all watching the world burn, and it’s laughable, because we’re all so focused on all of the wrong things. We’re in an abusive relationship with the world, and Jerry Springer isn’t around to open our eyes and ears with his final thoughts.
The title track on paper sounds like the beginnings of a spell or, a potion of sorts, and it’s apt as lyrically we’re dealing with a sense of heartache and bitterness. “We lost touch, and you left town, you said, I never ever want to see your mother fucking face again”, but it’s a song about self-love, self-care and finding your feet again, in a numbed state of mental and emotional recovery. It’s equally vitriolic and therapeutic. But, it’s delivered under the veil of a wonderfully jovial guitar tone for an up-beat pop-rock aesthetic.
Tracks like “Bad Time” hark back to the sounds of “Crimson” in ways, and it’s a song of longing for love, riddled with excuses and obstacles, because life gets in the way, however absurd. Some of the album is more a case of blood, sweat and tears however, as tracks like “Meet Me” have patches of lazy lyricism, heavy on repetition, though it does house a lovely, lulling bridge. “Hinterlude” is a brief instrumental and a play on words...an album interlude, taking in the peace and solitude of the moment, while a hinterland depicts an area lying beyond what is visible or known...the blissfulness of nothing if you will. And while quaint within context, it really is an empty minute.
We rather brutally finish up on another slab of social commentary courtesy of “Teenage Heart”, and it takes a stab, or a shot if you will, at the mental health of today’s youth in America. “All I want for Christmas is an AR-15, my stocking stuffed with fentanyl. Drop like a fly at the ripe age of 16, wishing I had I friend to call”. It touches on school shootings and the negative mindset of today’s youth, painting a truly morbid picture. I guess the blood, hair and eyeballs are plastered over the school corridors, which is no laughing matter. Unless it’s art class. Jackson Pollock would be proud. I jest.
Alkaline Trio do have a distinct sound and overall vibe, that’s for sure, and it does separate them from an abundance of mediocrity. The darkness of their songwriting, the dual vocal presentation allowing for exploration of themes, emotions and storytelling, and the undeniable ability to write some of the catchiest alternative rock songs is something any band would be envious of. Is this their finest work? Arguably not, but it doesn’t make it a poor record by any means. The satirical lyricism, the hooks, the poetic misery and danceable qualities to the depressive nature of their content makes them truly unique. Add “Blood, Hair, And Eyeballs” to your shopping list, it’s a recipe for a good time, I promise. [8]
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