Album Review

Taking Back Sunday – Happiness Is

• 17th Mar 2014

*Sigh* Taking Back Sunday really can do no wrong, can they? In the 15 years since their conception can you think of a sub-par record that they’ve released? I certainly can’t and new album, Happiness Is certainly isn’t about to buck that trend.

I set out to be totally unbiased and impartial for the purposes of this review. I wanted to tell you all about the lyrical and musical development that the band have made since 2011’s Taking Back Sunday and how this second album since bringing back the classic line up of Lazzara, Nolan, Reyes, Cooper and O’Connell is a clear progression in sound and feeling.

However, the second that first little note hit my ears I crumbled. I was total putty in their hands and instantly transported back to the fangirl I’ve been since Tell All Your Friends first propelled them into my life 12 years ago.

OK, overall it may be a little mellower in pace than some of their previous efforts but that suits me just fine because I am too. Please don’t think that this is a negative because these songs are huge. Some of these tracks signal a bit of a change of direction lyrically too. Those cryptic messages and ideas have been cast aside in favour of the simple and to the point. It’s like getting a glimpse straight into Lazzara’s head and Like You Do is the perfect example of this.

Personally, I think this might be Taking Back Sunday’s most heartfelt and “real” (I hate that phrase) album in some time. For that alone it is definitely worth a listen. I’ve had it on pretty much constant rotation for a while and hear something else on each listen. Something that makes me remember why exactly I fell in love with this band in the first place and how I know they’ll be the soundtrack to my memories for years to come.

Happiness definitely is Taking Back Sunday being back in my ears. (Sorry for the cheesy closing!)

Venue: Happiness Is
Support Band: Hopeless Records