I’m equal parts scientist and daydreamer, so I spend a lot of time thinking about experiments I would do if I had unlimited time, budget and staff. There are just so many questions that need to be answered! Like, what if we went around with tranquilizer guns and darted every chubby girl with low-self esteem, rolled them over and inspected their blubbery, pale underbelly: how many would have an ALKALINE TRIO tattoo on their hip or forearm?? I want to say it would be at least 70%, but without data I would only be guessing!
I’m not a fat girl with low self-esteem, so I’ve never really been able to get why they all love ALKALINE TRIO so much. But if a lot of other people like something, I try my hardest to like it or at least understand why they do. I’ve skimmed through the ALK 3 catalog a few times over the years a couple times, and I can only find two songs I like, although to be fair I absolutely LOVE both of these:
If there is a pop-punk regretcore hall of fame, “Stupid Kid” is definitely a first-round inductee. It’s basically like if “What’s My Age Again” was written by the poor kid who lived in a trailer with his alcoholic single mom, instead of well-adjusted kids who grew up in Poway with their happily-married parents. I like to think that instead of being about a girl, “Remember when I said I love you? Well forget it, I take it back” is self-directed.
“Take Lots With Alcohol” approaches MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK levels of self-loathing, dark lyrics masked by catchy, upbeat pop-punk. Entry-levelers might mistake this for whiny beta-ness, but if you are an advanced-level student of self-destructive behavior and genuine depression you can tell this song is the product of an authentic fuckup who hates himself.
Did I shortchange ALK 3? Are there any other songs that I’m missing out on? Will I liek them even tho I’m not a chubby girl who cries herself to sleep???
Mercy Me is catchy as fuck but you may not love it Serge. Radio is completely self-loathing and fuck da world i need a drink style but with upbeat instrumentals, and We’ve Had Enough is crybaby butthurtz about whats on the radio. all three are good and lovely
try ‘cooking wine’ too
miserable stuff
As a young man with an Alkaline Trio tattoo, I have to say that Mr. Skiba has had a very postive influence on my life. I like all of their albums, but I would suggest “My Friend Peter,” “Fatally Yours,” “Back to Hell,” “This Addiction” and “Hell Yes” as excellent examples of Skiba’s fantastic ability to pin great choruses against dark, self-loathing lyrics. They’re not for everybody, but their definitely for me. And both Tom Delonge & Travis Barker’s parents are divorced/not well adjusted. DO U EVEN STAY 2GETHER 4 THA KIDS BRO?!?!
these are some of my favorites too. “Skiba’s fantastic ability to pin great choruses against dark, self-loathing lyrics” is exactly why I love them so much (despite me not being a fat, pale chick w/ dyed black hair and graveyard tattoos who works at hot topic [wood smash doe {srs}])
have smashed doe (srs) thx 4 understanding me bro
When I was about 15 I tried to get a hairdresser to give me a haircut like Matt Skiba when he had a long bleached fringe/quiff http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/500/63944/Matt+Skiba.jpg :(
As a fucking idiot with a Hot Water Music tattoo, I gotta say I appreciate the entirety of A3′s split with said band.
backed.
I have several HWM tattoos – none are the logo tho, so you’d never know unless yer a real fanz! I have the birds from Caution’s liner notes and a ‘Trusty Chords’ guitar case. NFG, Chuck is the dopest dude – he always remembers me when I see him (which is a rare quality for someone who is p much a legit rockstar for emos). I was there when he recorded ‘Los Feliz’ (all other solo albumz after are just kinda meh for me doe).
Calling All Skeletons is a top track too
+1, must listen
Backed, only discovered ALK3 this year and do enjoy Agony and Irony a lot.
My fav song from the album is Do You Wanna Know, great song with great choruses… Doesn’t feature the vocals of Matt Skiba though.
inb4 ppl sayingI’m not a tr00 ALK3 fan.
Jaked on green beers is a great song
There are a tonne of good A.T. songs. The From Here To Infirmary album is especially decent (Private Eye, Armageddon, My Standard Break From Life, Stupid Kid etc.), as well as the Good Mourning album (This Could Be Love, We’ve Had Enough, Every Thug Needs A Lady). There are loads of other good songs in their discog (Mercy Me, Jaked On Green Beers, I Was A Prayer, Fall Victim, Warbrain and more) but those two albums stand out the most imo. The lyrics are pretty dark and intriguing if you ask me.
all been mentioned before, but +1 the following:
cooking wine
my friend peter
the entire HWM split.
(and i dont even have a HWM or ALK3 tattoo…)
aww, I love alkaline trio. some of my favorite songs of theirs are buried, every thug needs a lady, and burned is the house. I actually only got into them in my late 20s. and I’ll own up to being a former fatty.
I hate to be that “I only leik their first album” fggt, but nonetheless, while I really love ALK3′s first album ‘Goddamnit’ (minus the pusstacular acoustic songs), I haven’t been able to get into anything else they’ve done. Lots of people love their other stuff, but most of it just sounds like fairly innocuous pop rock to me imho. “Cringe”, “San Fransisco”, and “As You Were” are my favorite songs, but the sweaty (read: shitty) production may make it harder for you to enjoy that older stuff (especially judging against modern pop punk production standards). They remastered “Goddamnit” somewhat recently, but I haven’t heard it and thus have no idea how much better or worse it sounds than the original.
I can’t believe nobody has mentioned radio. On Multiple nights I’ve found myself drunk and singing it to my friends as they wept.
I’VE GOT A BIG FAT FUKIN BONE 2 PICK WITH U MY DARLING
“Emma”, “This Could Be Love”, “Radio”, “My Friend Peter”, “This Addiction”, “Mercy Me”, “Do You Wanna Know”, “Queen of Pain” = all super catchy and awesome. The entire “From Here to Infirmary” album is super catchy and awesome, along with the b-sides to it “Hell Yes” and “My Standard Break from Life” so I’d suggest listening to that whole album fo’ sho’. Oh, and the entire “Goddamnit” album is fantastic too and has bitter fuck-up lyrics all over it.
My fav is “snake oil tanker”
’97 is totally “pop punk regretcore”
No ‘Private Eye’, no care ever
This.
My favorite band, my favorite song.
Much of Crimson is pretty catchy and single worthy- which, probably not-coincidentally is the album most hated by ALK3 diehards, who seem to revel in the more boring, early catalog.
Hm, I’ll check it out– I definitely can’t get into the early stuff
ALK3 diehard who loves Crimson, right here. back tard.
“Agony and Irony” is also mostly catchy and singleworthy, and was (gasp) even released on a major label, so if u leik “Crimson” check that one out too.
thanks for saying this. Crimson is the only album i enjoy but i really enjoy it. i’ve tried listening to the other stuff but it’s just sad SR-71 to my ears. Crimson is a great album with some upbeat and dour stuff and great production
goddamnit and from here to infirmary are both worth a full listen. also, look up the song good fucking bye by matt skiba. its off his acoustic split with kevin seconds
cop is the best song. i think its about hating cops because FUCK DA POLICE THUG LYFE 19K99
As 1 of the fags who kept saying ‘sarge, y u no like alk3′ all the time, I wish I had seen this earlier. At this stage there’s about 600 songs suggested and lets be cereal, r u really gonna look (m)anyup?
Imo albums 1, 3 and 5 are the bestest – Goddammit, From Here to Infirmary and Crimson. Also worth noting that Dan probably writes more depressing lyrics, while Matt writes better songs and is a better singer. I’d avoid anything after Crimson cos by then they’re all married afaik and no heartbreak, not music. But it is better produced/happier.. idk.
Radio, Armageddon, Private Eye, Cringe, Warbrain, Trouble Breathing, Dead And Broken… But if you like the self-deprecating, ‘metaphors to mask the actual fuckups’ side of things then mebbe Mr Chainsaw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EA68iV8S_c4&feature=fvst
Considering writing a post 4 my shitty blog to try and express mai <3 and/or let you rape it for SYWH/whatever means/10.
Wut is yer blog?
ONLY MY FRIEND PETER AND SNAKE OIL TANKER IS REAL
Tr00 poppunx needs to pay more tribute to ALK3 and spend less time jocking Braid, IMO. Skiba lived in the Haight for a bit, would see him around.
this band pretty much failed at doing what saves the day accomplished in one album. “clavicle” is an alright song though.
rly means a lot 2 me
Alakline Trio is like regretcore for hot water music fans.
wat bout nose over tail?!?!? dat shits awesum!
btw sarge, wat u think bout tom gabel’s trans thing?
please respond
Yep. I got into them because of HWM. For some reason, they go together. Do not know why.
Crawl is one of my favorite songs ever. From Here to Infirmary is an album I will fully back!
Didn’t care too much for their earlier or stuff (too unpracticed and/or poorly produced) or their stuff after it (they got all serious with that indie rock meets mall goth thing), but that got it just right on that one.
As a complete loser who only reads this site to find new Ikeacore bands that you make fun of and I listen to, I somehow like Alkaline Trio at 27. I’m ashamed every time I hear them and end up singing along.
But yeah, Mercy Me.
This bands reminds me of those emo kids we used to make fun of that liked alkaline trio, finch, the early november, smile empty soul and wutever emo-core band that was in style in the early to mid 00s….
never really got into em since me no homo but i can identify with sum of the regretcore lyrics in said post above….
http://us11.memecdn.com/how-to-avoid-a-gay_o_214078.jpg
My favorite Alk3 song is a B-side, but w/e. We Can Never Break Up. It’s a perfect example of Alk3. :)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HswBPF8xRek&w=420&h=315
I really like this one, its from an ATTICUS comp!
idk how to embed but its Jaked on Green Beers
Has anybody said Cop yet? That’s a good one.
i wonder how many fggts besides me listen to the larry limbs as well as Alk3 :I
I LOVE ALKALINE TRIO PROLLY LIKE 75% OF THEIR SONGS ARE GOOD TO ME THIS IS MY FAVE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCTUdgqewqc – BEST BAND EVER FOR WHEN YOURE DRUNK AND ON DRUGS AND FEEL SAD
I dig the albumn “goddamnit” the most- and the song trouble breathing makes me want to take advantage of depressed girls.
I was hoping D would draw the connection between these guys and pop punk regretcore! When he mentioned Mest as being pop punk AND regretcore, I just immediately thought “Oh man… he should check out Alkaline Trio sometime”
I have an Alkaline Trio tattoo (I’m a skinny guy, fat low self esteem girls are drawn to me for some reason). ANYWAY, good band is good. Check out Maybe I’ll Catch Fire, Goddamnit, The Alkaline Trio, From Here to Infirmary, and Remains. Plenty of good listening there.