Taking Back Sunday Band • Page 166

Miami is a good song. 20/20 and Error Operator are the only really awful songs on that record, though it still isn't one of their best. The production is absolutely atrocious and almost makes it unlistenable.

 

I feel like Miami is such an underrated song.

 

WIFLTBAG isn't the greatest song ever or anything but I love the bridge.

 

As an opener, WIFLTBAG sets the tone for LN pretty damn well imo. That whole album pulls off the feel of a big amphitheater rock show really well. Something about it makes it feels huge compared to their other albums.

 

The drums in WIFLTBAG is my favorite part of the song.

 

Miami isn’t that bad. Is not fantastic but it’s okay.

 

Agreed, everything else is just meh for me on that song. Mark O'Connell's drumming is always something I'm excited for with each new TBS album.

 

Nah. It’s one extreme or the other, obviously.

 

Naaaaah.

What’s your take on I’ll Let You Live?

 

glad to see most TBS fans like Miami

it's really just Greg who's hating

it's cool, I still got love for you, Greg

 

It’s fine.

 

Those who speak truth are often alone......

 

oh Greg

 

Up Against is pretty terrible tho

 

@ncarrab you have some support...kinda

 

I strongly second this take.

 

A prophet not wanted in his “hometown”. So sad. Haha

 

It’s certainly not great.

 

It’s good. But it’s never been a favorite of mine.

 

The truth bringer is no longer alone!

 

It was the first time I realized I could absolutely loathe a TBS song.

It was not the last time.

 

Up Against is by far my least favorite TBS song on their first three albums total.

 

Happiness Is is so good wow. Right up there with New Again and WYWTB. This isn't bait.

 

@Nate_Johnson you just listened to HI for the first time. Take?

 

Taking Back Sunday: Happiness Is... (2015) Hopeless Records

Taking Back Sunday needs no introduction. This is the 6th studio album by the band and the second with the original Tell All Your Friends lineup. If you are looking for the follow up to that record, this is a great place to start. The album is very good and sits nicely in their discography and seems like a safe record for them with the reunited members. I was lucky enough to be able to listen to the deluxe edition of the album and it had some nice acoustic renditions of Stood A Chance, Better Homes & Gardens and Like You Do. Taking Back Sunday are a band that love to strip their songs down and they feel so much more personal in this form. I really enjoyed the Live from Oresanz set they released.

My only real problem is with the opening of the album. The preface just seems unnecessary and doesn't add anything to the album. In my review of Tidal Waves I applauded them for their amazing ability to open a record and get you pumped for what is to come. I could have forgiven them with the use of preface but then they go into Flicker, Fade which is a great song and one of my favorites but it seems more of a closing song. (If you haven't learned already from my reviews I am big on the sequencing of albums and hence the reason why I will never have a normal non-pro account on Spotify!)

The run from Flicker, Fade through the rest of the album is really impressive and seems like they didn't skip a beat being apart from each other, especially the back and forth between Adam and John. This is the other thing I love about Taking Back Sunday in that they seem to flow off of one other seamlessly. I did miss this interaction in Tidal Waves.

I do want to draw attention to Better Homes and Gardens which is a very personal song for Adam and one that I am sure is extremely hard for him to perform live. I applaud him for being so open with his failed relationship and the pain that he felt during this time.



This is a very solid release from a band I adore very much and I will listen to frequently.


Favorite Songs:
All the Way
They Don't Have Any Friends
Flicker, Fade

8.5/10