Taking Back Sunday: New Again

Did you listen to the album? Please do so again. I'm surprised you have this job. By the way Aidan, Wendy's is always hiring.

We should seriously just install an automatic response device on every review.

Submit Negative Criticism of Review.

(1) You should see them live, they're awesome.

(2) I bet you never listened to the album

(3) You're a sad old man in basement.

(4) Yo mama. [add random obscenities]

What's more interesting is how anyone could disagree with a review before its official release. Either you've never heard it and submitted a knee-jerk response or you've downloaded it illegally. So which is it?

While I can understand people not enjoying TBS' albums following Tell All Your Friends on their own, too many people seem to automatically trash them just because they don't have John Nolan anymore and don't try to write their music like the first album.

I personally have enjoyed TBS' music, for the most part, following the initial split on their own merits. Additionally TBS are still far more proficient at what they do than many contemporaries in whatever scene it is that they're considered to be in spite of original members Nolan and Cooper being absent

So it can certainly be said that the music itself may be mediocre in your opinion but do you really have to keep whining about Tell All Your Friends? Just keep listening to that album if that's all you want from the band. It's honestly a rather tired criticism. Along with your objections to the lyrics.

Really? You have beef with pop-rock lyrics (and if you think TBS is anything but you're deluded)?

Really?

So... what happened to John Nolan? And what albums have Brand New put out recently that holds up to Tell All Your Friends?

Granted, Straylight Run has unique sound, but Brand New is pretty much a collection of every wannabe emo band I heard during high school.

the fact that you think this is emo makes me certain you know nothing about music.

album is good, really good, in fact. and as for the question you asked the other guy, it's the latter. i'm guessing you got an advance copy of the record? no? no?

as far as pop-rock/alt-rock goes this is one of the best things released in a long time. it doesn't sound like TAYF and it's never going to again; get over it :)

How is TBS anything but emo? The fact that you don't think this is emo makes me certain that you are a scenester who listens to 'punk/pop/rock' now that emo has a dirty name.

"and as for the question you asked the other guy, it's the latter. i'm guessing you got an advance copy of the record? no? no?"

... Which would have been sent out by the record label. Kids like you who download everything are a drain on the music industry, if you like the album that much then why not help out and actually pay TBS to do their job.

Hahahaha.

I'm a scenester? Nah, fail.

If you're looking for emo, SDRE? RoS? ACTUAL emo bands, rather than pseudo-emo bands that just fall under the moniker because of a poorly applied SOCIAL label to music which has nothing in common with real emo? Heh, you literally know nothing about what you're talking about, so if that isn't apparent already I'll say it once more: Taking Back Sunday are NOT an emo band; they are pop-punk.

I will pay for the record... when it comes out? Lolz. I'm not a kid and I would stake my life on my hard copy collection of music being more expansive than yours. And yes, it's got some real emo in it too.

Oh, and something tells me that since most major publications have yet to post a review of New Again, the label is less likely to have sent an advance copy to a fairly unknown online publication with no idea what they're talking about.

I have never seen such a bad review even from amateur and loathfull sources. First of all, your ridiculous bias towards hating them should automatically take away your credibility to review an album from taking back sunday. As well, you miscategorized them as an "emo-rock band" which if you knew anything.. you'd realize TBS is in fact not emo. Your "proof" is also a very poor attempt at an attack disguised as actual sensical writings. ALthough the album itself was not the greatest, you attacked the band too much and didn't spend enough time learning to write a proper review. Good luck in the future, you seem to have a verd battle to write a half decent review.

Thank god the fans are backing this band up, what a terrible review i bet you didnt even listen to the cd you douche

I think some of the commenters are deliberately trying to focus on one throw-away (half) sentence - rather than focus on the actual substance of this review, which is absolutely spot on.

TBS used to be one of the best (emo) bands around. Ten years later - emo's been hijacked by Pete Wentz and The O.C and everyone's mad as hell, but this record is still shit.

And yes i downloaded this illegally, if someone tagged it Fall Out Boy by mistake, i apologise.

"And what albums have Brand New put out recently that holds up to Tell All Your Friends?"

The devil and god are raging inside me.

My problem with reviews is that if the reviewer doesn't like the music, the band is doomed from the start. Like so. Criticism is pretentious by nature, it's just easier to say something sucks than to prove why something is good. If you don't like a band's music, don't review it! You won't have anything to say except the truth--you don't like it. Get someone who loves TBS to write a review, then people who don't like it might see others who like it feel that way, and people who already like it will be right on the same page. Basically, this reviewer is a piece of poop.

Don, so what's the point of a review when every album gets a ten-out-of-ten score? It makes every word completely meaningless.

You talk about the truth, but if we were to give TBS praise they didn't deserve, that would be a lie. If every reviewer of an album is biased in favour of the band, they we may as well become TBS' marketing department.

Neutrality is key, five is an average album. This one scored four because we know TBS can do better. They need to earn that ten!

Amen Aidan

So to be fair I hadn't heard this album before making comment. I heard New Again on net radio last night... That's the leading track from the album?!... Weak. Sounds like they got themselves a bottle of 'Brand New Cordial' and diluted it down to a concentration of 99% water. As I said, weak.

TBS is an absoultely incredible band. i think all of their previous cd's were amazing and many of the songs were relatable , if not very catchy as well. When it was announced that fred had left i knew if they ever came out with another cd it was very likely to be a flop. Theres no way you can replace the two way lyrical conversation going on between Adam & Fred. No way. Not to mention the lyrics themselves were so unique and well put together ( in my opinion). I honestly don't like the new cd at all.. Its so mainstream sounding and the edge which made TBS my favourite band, is missing in this album. Ill just stick to their older stuff =]

"There's no way you can replace the two way lyrical conversation going on between Adam & Fred."

Is there any chance you meant Adam & John?

Fred himself was a replacement, and in his time, the dual vocals were very much phased out, or simplified to an extreme.

^ MEANY!!

Well nothing is ever going to compare to Adam & John.. so i wasnt even going to go there. I did really like Fred though.

I completly agree with Aidan W. When I first heard this album, I was painfully let down. And that is fine. We all need to understand that every band evolves..whether for better or for worse. TBS will never ever be the same. They will never have the same sound as before. No poignant, emotionally charged lyrics..nor anymore deeply elaborate riffs. This album is bereft; TBS is bereft.

Aidan .... I agree with you that neutrality is key and that this album does not deserve a 10/10. However, you were not neutral, you bashed the band from the start bashing everything except Tell All Your Friends. Perhaps if you spent more time reviewing than history bashing then I would be able to respect your review even though I would still strongly disagree with it. Seriously, in your comments you made some valid points, but you did not apply them in your review.

This album was a let down...but it's still good..just not good enough to feel ok about it. Still everyone's entitled to their own opinion but it's hard not to bash a review that bashes the band before starting. Other than that, I think Aidan some of our points were undeniable, others open to opinionated discussion.

you fucking idiot's first of all i am the only original member and ark ,adam and i are the dudes who wrote tell all your friends so get your fucking story's straight!! why do i read these shitty half ass reviews by half ass writers who don't know shit about shit!! thank you have a good day.. and yes it's really me .. i read all this shit and honestly it's shit...