TAKING BACK SUNDAY

"WHERE YOU WANT TO BE"

Review Date: 08/04/04

Rating: 10/10

Rewiewed By: suj

It was sometime in 2000 that I heard my first Taking Back Sunday song. I was sitting around staring at my computer per usual scrolling through the wonderful facet we've all come to love known as the internet. While “surfing the net” I stubbled upon a site that had a featured download titled "Taking Back Sunday - Great Romances of the 20th Century" I preceded to download followed by a listen, and ended with me becoming a devoted fan. The song I believe was the demo version as it had this lovely intro from the movie "Beautiful Girls" where Rapaport's character spews his thoughts on how intoxicating the opposite sex can be. TBS was refreshing and exhilarating for as it was something new, something different, something not in the punk-pop genre which consumed me that the time. It had dual vocalist a unique sound and brilliant lyrics that the likes of blink, NFG, and all the other band that I was listening to could never comprehend. And since that day in 2000 all the way to this very day in 2004, TBS have been in the forefront of my musical likings.

After releasing there debut album "tell all your friends" in 2002 and while hitting the scene gathering a strong fan base everything seem to be going TBS's way that was until the summer of 2003 when some drama unfolded. Second vocalist and co-lyricist of the band John Nolan and Bassist Shaun Cooper decided to leave due to reasons I really don't know, but there’s dozen's of rumors floating around one of the most prominent involves John's sister Michelle and her relationship with frontman Lazzara. At this moment in time it seemed the entity known as TBS was done and over as the remaining members contemplated disbanding. But it was founding and last original member Eddie Reyes that pulled everything together to get the band back up from the grave. They recruited Breaking Pangaea’ Fred Mascherino to take over Nolan's position and accomplished musician Matt Rubano to strum away on the bass. Now, with TBS newly energized and having a new look on life it was ready to unleash its new found self to the world.

The new album "where you want to be" can be best described as being more "mature" I know a lot of people keep saying that as a band releases a new cd, but in this case its truly is the truth. Sure there still singing about the crime of heartbreak and the girls who commit them, but it has never sounded this good.

"Set Phasers To Stun" kicks off the record with a steady guitar cord repeated until a faded "say yes" is heard then from there the music blasts and continues to is unveil itself in TBS fashion. Lazzaras’ vocals embody an excitable tone as he yells out the lyric "I'm sorry it took me so long" and then continues into the first verse with subtle ease. The presence of Fred Mascherino voice especially in the second verse made me forget all about Nolan. The song is catchy and with a chorus that states the albums title this song is defiantly where you want to be. The second song “Bonus Mosh Pt. II” is something melodic as much its killer. With a cool as ice bass line and a chorus that is as booming as ever its really heard not to sing along - "...its love, make it hurt..." Following is "A Decade Under The Influence" which is also the albums first single. It’s a song that changes from a light summery song, to a bitter stating of how "anyone will do tonight". The best parts of this song belong the is Cure-ish sounding tone of the chouses "hell to you and all your friends" and Mascherino screaming his heart out "I got it bad" at songs end which you can literally feel the emotion coming from his scornful vocal cord. I have the say compared to all the tracks from the album this would have to be the weakest, I’m not saying that it sucks or anything its just compared to everything else it just doesn't hold its own.

Next is TBS' contribution to the Spider-Man 2 soundtrack "This Photograph is Proof (I Know you Know)." A song that has all the words and music to provoke feelings for that loved one. The next track is "The Union" a fast take no prisoners hard hitting of the third kind of a song. It also has a kinda electronic feel to it that only excels the song and the band to new territory. Beginning with Fred and Adam combating on the mic backed by the songs fast and upbeat nature which puts you under its hypnotic spell until its slows done where Lazzara sings"...I never made a scene, they came to me..." then picks right back up like King Kong himself grabbing you and climbing up the empire state building shaking you until your body becomes motionless.

Then the fast pace of album comes to a hault with "New American Classic" a sweet and beautiful a song. TBS's acoustic tune is one that makes you want to grab a trench coat and hold a boom box high above your head while standing below a girls bedroom with the moon overlooking it all. It’s a song that evokes emotion and at the bridge filled with its violins and guitars makes you contemplate what’s hidden within. Like I stated this is a beautiful song and trembles you the way Elliot Smith, Ben Lee, and Conor Oberst have the power to do.

Next is "I am Fred Astaire" which opens with blaring adjustments made to the amps then warps itself into raging guitars hindered by comforting tones while Lazzara serenades us with his soft sly vocals “I’m under the assumption that I gonna be the one that leaving you...tonight”. The song then continues to incorporate a combination of a perfectly soothing chours and equally soothing verses. Off of the lingering "...Astaire" we have "One-Eighty By Summer" a song that caters to the bitterness and a sense of revenge in relationship which creeps into the lyrics "...are you ashamed to say what you want to, tell me you want to...come on just say it". Its brooding as its intense and builds up into a bridge and outro that makes every hair on your neck stand up on end. Its also here that the dual vocals shine as both Fred and Adam exhange lyric after lyric with the occassional overlap to utter perfection. Also a high point of the song is where Lazzara sings the lyric "Why can't you just be happy" as you feel the emotion within his voice.

"Number Five With A Bullet" is a nodding your head in clam like manner song with a chorus that brings your feet a taping to go along with your head movements. You would think by the music the song would be a upbeat and joyous but with lyrics like "We're going to die like this you know, miserable and old..." reveals an intense and passionate song. Infectious this song is. The second to last song "Little Devotional" begins with pickscrape and guitars. Enthused and surprisingly catchy and with chorus that will leave you in shambles, literally. The last track, the albums closer "Slowdance on the Inside" is tame yet oh so memorable. With its poetic lyrics the song is a great a ender to a great album that fades with Lazzara and Mascherino shouting in unison "Tonight won't make a difference” But this album defiantly will.

The Drums and Guitars of Mark O’Connell and Eddie Reyes respectively are at their best, the bass of Matt Rubano are killer and no one in the scene can touch this cat. Fred Mascherino is absolute golden and makes you forget about that other guy, and of course Adam Lazzara is at his all time high on the mic and erupted the volcanic vocals onto this album.

This is solid record filled with all the TBS signatures the overlapping vocals, the instruments aloud, and the sly cleverness of their lyrics. The album excels the band in ways we all would never have imagined. Its "mature" in a way that its progresses from there first yet still maintains the freshness they had when they first made their way into the scene.

“Where You Want To Be” is a testament to the perseverance and talent TBS has and brings them to there true upmost potential, a great chapter in the book of TBS.

PS.
fuck the naysayers