It has been three years since Taking Back Sunday released a new album and eight years since they have released a good album.
That all changed earlier this month when they released Happiness Is, their latest album. While it certainly is not their best album to date (that title goes to Louder Now), I am sure it is worth your time.
Personally, I have been a fan of Taking Back Sunday for a long time, but between my angst-filled high school years and their performance at 2013 Riot Fest, I did lose touch with the band.
After seeing them at Riot Fest, my love and appreciation for the band resurfaced. I am confident that after you listen to Happiness Is, your past love for this band will come back like a burning fire in your belly.
When I first listened to this album, I felt like I was listening to a pop punk kid that grew up and became a little more mature. Maybe he went to college and had some life experience and life was not the worst thing ever anymore. Of course, he still kept his roots, though, because he is most definitely not a poser.
“Flicker, Fade” is one of the top tracks on this latest album. Everything about it screams old Taking Back Sunday (and even a little Dashboard Confessional influence). If you are still a fan of the emo genre, this song is for you. It has all of the ingredients for the perfect emo song. There is the slow, gentle melodic singing until it gets to the chorus where the instrumentals get heavy and the singing has more intensity.
Happiness Is has a great mix of slow songs as well as faster-paced songs. The last track of the album, “Nothing At All” is an excellent example of how Taking Back Sunday can switch between their high-energy songs to more laidback pieces like this. This acoustic piece works perfectly with the harmony of the multiple vocalists of the band coming together.
Taking Back Sunday is currently on tour with The Used. On Saturday, April 5, they will be playing at the Concord Music Hall in Chicago.
Unfortunately, the show is already sold out. Do not worry though, because you can still listen to Happiness Is really loudly on Spotify, gather all of your friends and pretend you are at the show…if you are really desperate. Just give it a listen.
Lauren Dwyer
Senior Features Editor
About Post Author
