ALKALINE TRIO / The Shame Is True [2013]

Serving as producer, The Descendants' Bill Stevenson gives Alkaline Trio's 2013 album My Shame Is True that extra pop-punk kick it rightfully deserves.

With an album title that's a tongue-in-cheek play on a certain Elvis Costello album it can only mean the Trio really has to lay on the punchy melodic hooks and angsty allegorical lyrics channelling the living ghost of Robert Smith to live up to it's name.  It's everything you'd expect from the Trio with some slick production to boot keeping them relevant in it's genre when most acts like it are drying up and fading away into obscurity. 

4 rise againsts out of 5

Songs Of Note: I, Pessimist [feat. Tim McIlrath]; The Torture Doctor

ALKALINE TRIO - Damnesia [2011]

Acting as somewhat of a 15 year celebration together as a band, punkers Alkaline Trio released Damnesia, an album of acoustic re-workings of fan-favorites spanning their entire career plus a cover and 2 brand new songs.
Matt Skiba and Dan Andriano's vocals are finally given the recognition they deserve in a more intimate setting, while Derek Grant's drumming seems to be surprisingly restrained. These aren't just direct acoustic translations of their songs, but delicately reworked to fit the unplugged format without sacrificing any of the passion of the originals.
It's not going to win any new fans but it's an absolutely wonderful gift to long-time fans.

4 Violent Femmes out of 5

Songs Of Note: Olde English 8000; I Held Her In My Arms