Taking Back Sunday - 152 (October 27, 2023) Album • Page 67

We need to go back to the immediate aftermath of 152 coming out, so we can recapture good vibes around this band.

 

I don't like the album.

 

Genuine question: if they’re so bad now, and you’ve only ever seen them now (now being post-pandemic), what are you gaining from going to see them and coming here and being an Adam Lazzara Stan? (Who apparently doesn’t actually like him based on your comments about his singing being bad?)

I’m just fascinated by this.

 

For reasons stated throughout this thread (bad live vocals, the crowd constantly singing over/into the mic), i can't think of a better example of a band that'll i'll still listen to but have absolutely zero interest in seeing live than TBS.

 

Don't forget Adam's weird ass stage persona

 

This is fair! But I assume since you don’t care for them live, you’re also not going out of your way to watch a livestream of them because you know what you’ll get?

there are bands I’ve seen live that I don’t care for but like on their albums. I don’t see them live because in my head, that’s like touching the stove despite knowing it’s on.

 

ok

 

Correct - when it comes to TBS i just want the albums and for them to be produced 3-4 times (i don't know how production works but you get it)

 

3-4 times like they’re making a photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy etc until done

 

If I could? I would shr-No, no, can't do it

 

I agree. If you catch them early in a touring cycle and/or if he’s singing a newer song, he usually sounds decent, but yeah the smoking never did him any favors. I heard he quit drinking some time in the last couple of years. I wish someone had told him back when they were writing WYWTB to stop smoking, hire a vocal coach and lower the key to their songs for that touring cycle instead of waiting to do it during the Louder Now era.
As far as John is concerned, I’ve felt for a while that he often looks like he’s phoning it in. Love the guy and his music, and I’m not saying he should jump around & do windmills, but at the very least he could try strumming his guitar like he actually wants to play it, and when he sings Fred’s parts in “Decade” it just sounds lazy.
All of that aside, credit where its due, the band otherwise sounds really tight live. Mark and Nathan always kill it.

 

I feel like “Error: Operator” works best when they play it early in the set (within the first 4 songs) because goddamn that song rips.
“Spin” on the other hand- as much as I love destroying my own voice to that song, it needs to go into setlist retirement. The videos of them playing it in 2018/2019 are rooouugghhh.

 

I think error: operator is fun live. The crowd (at least the middle of the pit) always seems to go off. And it’s a quick one.

With the exception of the album plays for louder now, I feel like spin only got played occasionally and even within a tour it would get rotated in and out for another song.

I really enjoy that their recent headlining sets have roughly half of the new album on it.

 

I wish they'd bite the bullet and play 152 in full on this tour.

 

Maybe if we ask really nicely?

 

It's on par with New Again imo

 

It's on par with self-titled for me and I think self-titled is awful.

 

LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, WE ARE A BAND CALLED TAKING BACK SUNDAY. WELCOME TO CO-CHELLA. JOHN NOLAN ON THE GEE-TAR

 

The whole southern preacher act is a lot.

 

I just want them to be new again

 

I don’t understand why he’s leaned into it so hard over the last few years. His southern accent came out a little bit 10-12 years ago, but not that bad. And then you talk to him and it’s like talking to a whole different guy.

 

The best/tightest they’ve ever sounded live.

 

I think that's just because he moved back full-time. I remember those early days when I could actually call him an acquaintance and it was nothing like it now.

 

I’ve noticed that it becomes more pronounced when they’re either doing opening sets for a big band or like…festivals. So I just figure it’s a showmanship/entertainer thing for him? I dunno. I saw them pretty recently (their own show, smaller venue), and not only did he not do it, but he kind of poked fun of it and the fact that it’s “a mask.”

I’m less bothered by this than most people, and kind of just find it funny at this point.

 

Edit: ooo the person he responded to deleted it lol