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Taking Back Sunday // Happiness Is
Although a step of maturity and an appropriate move in the band's timeline, it's also a great mixture of old punk strategies and new rock flows.
April 16, 2014 at 12:15 AM
Taking Back Sunday
Happiness Is
Hopeless Records
4 Stars
The original line-up of Taking Back Sunday is back with their fresh album Happiness Is. Although it is quite obviously a step of maturity and an appropriate move in the band's timeline, it is also a great mixture of old punk strategies and new rock flows. Songs like "Flicker, Fade" and "Stood a Chance" have that major-label production feel without being overbearing. The rest of the album plays with hardcore nuances, poppy beats, and the classical TBS powerful vocals of Adam Lazzara. The song "Better Homes and Gardens" stands out as link between the youthful punk era and the reconnected, older and learned era of TBS, and is one of the highlights of the albums. It floats between a melodious ballad to a powerful outpouring of personal dramas over top the strumming of John Nolan and Eddie Reyes. Overall, it is a solid rock album and should fit well in the hearts of die-hard TBS fans, while welcoming new listeners.