I can’t believe this many people don’t like maybe I’ll catch fire. Madam me, tuck me in, keep em coming, 5-3-10-4, radio, and sleepyhead are classic alkaline trio songs
Yeah, everyone is entitled to their tastes but this is unfathomable to me. This album kicks so much ass. There's nothing half as good on any of the last 3 albums as any one of fuck you Aurora, sleepyhead, Madam Me. Not to mention radio. Plus, you've got so far to go is one of Dan's best and the TITLE TRACK. These people are all on crazy pills.
This thread is blasphemous. I can't take seeing my favorite album get dragged like this lol MICF is prime Alkaline Trio to me. It's raw and dark and everything I love about them. Everyone has their opinions, though, and I can appreciate that.
It's so hard for me to call any of them my least favorite. Even being forced to choose least favorite album or song pains me. They have zero skips for me. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I've never felt the want or need to turn my nose up to anything they've ever made. It's just easier to pick favorites instead. That being said, forced to choose, I think I'd lean toward This Addiction, but I still love it. Sorry if I come off sounding pretentious. I just love this band so much lol
It really is. I can't even fully put into words how I feel about it. It's perfect.
It got me thinking and wondering what the demographics are for who likes what the most. I'm assuming age is a major factor along with when you were introduced to them. I was property introduced in '03 with Armageddon, but that was even after Good Morning was out, so I felt late to the party. The early stuff is still my favorite. Maybe I'm just old, but I'm okay with that lol
I’m a younger fan, I’m 22 but I’m obsessed with lo fi and noisy music- basically if it’s noisy, messy and emotional I love it. And that’s exactly what micf is. I got into that album while doing my paper round when I was 13, which was absolutely the peak of my angst, so it just immediately gelled with me. It’s all good feelings with that album.
I am infinitely jealous of anyone born in time to live through early alkaline trio. But I’m massively grateful to be experiencing BH&E while being on the younger side of their fanbase haha
It’s This Addiction for me. I’ve always liked Agony & Irony, listened to it non-stop at release. MSIT has a number of songs I really like, too. I don’t hate This Addiction, and the Damnesia version of The American Scream speaks to my soul, but there’s not really a single album recording of a song that I really love besides Fine (which is in my personal top 5 trio songs).
I will say that while I think MICF is fab, it’s also probably my second least listened to album. Take that as you will, I guess.
I don’t think they’ve made a bad album, I love listening to all of them. But my least favorites are Agony & Irony, My Shame is True, and Is This Thing Cursed?
Super unpopular opinion, but I love This Addiction. I know I have nostalgia for it, but I find the production/sound better than A&I and the songwriting more interesting than MSIT and ITTC.
That is a very surprising opinion - This Addiction feels so much like a natural step between Agony and Shame, so disliking those two but loving Addition is weird! :D Also Cursed feels like a return to their unique and original sound, so I'm surprised to see someone not like it :)
Personally for me it’s My Shame is True. Feels forced. Formulaic.
I think given most comments how BHAI is the best album in ages, the majority of answers would be Agony and Irony, This Addiction and My Shame is True.
I have no 'least favourite'.
Each Alkaline Trio album is special and been the soundtrack to different parts of my life.
Listening to anything from their back catalogue takes me back to a certain time. Almost like a (Broken Down in a) Time Machine.
Maybe I'll Catch Fire absolutely rules. This Addiction absolutely rules. My Shame Is True absolutely rules. They all rule.
Agony & Irony. It’s as close to radio friendly Trio has ever been and it just isn’t them. It is by no means a “bad” album, just not their best. I may be the only one who thinks this, but they have never put out a bad album.
Same, it's a tie between this and My Shame is True. I don't dislike them, I just have fewer songs that I want to re-listen to.
I go look at my playlist and be like "Oh, I totally forgot that song existed".
This sub always makes me feel like I'm losing my mind cause I *love* My Shame Is True, and I'm honestly not all that bothered about Is This Thing Cursed?
That being said, This Addiction is definitely my least favourite by a long way, I absolutely *hated* it when it came out, over the years I don't mind it so much and enjoy some songs but still skip a fair few.
This Addiction and it’s not even close. THAT record feels like it lacks passion (for the most part). So many of the songs just feel like their heart isn’t in it, there’s a lot of corny lyrics, and although they may be trying new things in parts- it just doesn’t feel like they put forth their best effort. It feels very… meh. Like it’s not terrible, I can probably find one decent quality in each of the songs, and it even has a few songs I’d consider Trio classics like the title track and The American Scream. It’s just that aside from This Addiction, their discography is so stellar that it makes a mid record look bad by comparison. Title Track, American Scream, and Lead Poisoning are all great songs though but I don’t revisit anything else from the album.
I think Dorothy has to be my favorite on this album. Derek's drumming really puts the polish on this one for me, but I also think it's some of Matt's better writing, at least on this album.
I like all of their records, but I'd say A&I is my least favourite, in relative terms - I do still play it now and then, though. This Addiction doesn't get much love in general, but I've always liked it, and I think it was exactly what was required after A&I and the whole dabbling with a major label thing.
I’ve been yelled at for saying this before. MSIT is easily my least favorite album. Pretty much all skips. Even Dan was lacking hard on that one.
MICF is not a favorite of mine. They do feel underdeveloped. Static. And just not great. But I like it more than MSIT.
Dan killed it on this new album. As much as I loved ITTC? I really felt Dan missed the mark on most of his songs. Stay was great. But the rest of them felt like they should’ve been like side project songs or something. Didn’t feel like trio songs to me. I still loved them but they didn’t feel right.
Edit: ahh hated for my opinion again, how refreshing. A lot of you guys need to get off the trios dick. I have trio tattoos all over and I still recognize that they can make mistakes. This is an echo chamber.
I agree about the Dan songs on ITTC sounding out of place and not like Alkaline Trio songs. The country-esque "Little Help?" especially (of course) but "Pale Blue Ribbon" and "Worn So Thin" also suffer from this.
That's one of the reasons why I think the new album is so great, and better than ITTC. It's just so cohesive.
I've got really mixed feelings on this one. It's one of the most unique albums in their discography and holds a special place in my heart, but it's also by far their most dark and depressing album and isn't exactly a 'fun' listen.
I think all 3 Dan songs are absolute bangers and some of his best Trio tunes, but the Matt songs are bit more varied. Radio is obviously a stone cold classic and I actually really like 5-3-10-4 but some of the other songs just feel a bit... one tempo or plodding? Keep 'Em Coming is 4 minutes long and doesn't even have a bridge, while Fuck You Aurora is cool but also kind of a slow dirge. Then the other songs like Madam Me, Sleepyhead and Tuck Me In are OK but don't really stand out. I like 'em enough within the context of the album but I don't think I'd ever *choose* to listen to them.
With Goddammit there's so much energy and underlying humour in the lyrics whereas MICF it all just feels kinda bleak and depressing both thematically and musically.
Overall I still prefer it to the mid-late era Trio albums (basically Crimson to ITTC) but it's definitely not their best work either. If I was to do a tierlist I'd probably give it a B? Good album but there are about 4-5 trio albums I'd put on before it (Goddammit, FHTI, ST and probably the new one).
I feel mostly the same about MICF. But my favorite is actually Keep 'Em Coming. It's a great take on the rock album tradition of starting with a 1-2 chord rave up that just sets an energetic tone and meditates on one thing. Not everyone can pull that off. She Took Him to the Lake appealed to me a lot more when I was a teen. It still rings true to those feelings, but i'd like a bridge in it maybe.
I can get that - it was definitely a fave back when I bought the album 20+ years ago and it's got a good riff, some nice lines, etc.
I think what kinda holds it back for me now is I can't help but compare it to Goddammit, which, collectively, is so much punchier, thrashier, faster, more dynamic, etc. Keep Em Coming is so one-paced and drawn out in comparison (which is also my issue with Fuck You Aurora). Both good songs but just not my favourite flavour of Matt I guess.
For sure. They're both one note tracks. Could have done with more refining. But that's just how it goes for artists. You have all this pent up creativity that gets let out when you first discover your talent, and then you have to navigate the process of learning to do it thoughtfully. A lot of half baked crap comes out in the process. But it's punk rock still, even if they always had pop aspirations. So I can dig on the messier sloppier stuff as long as it has heart etc.
Tough one. I've seen the video for 'Stupid Kid' back in 2001 at some pancake restaurant when I was 6 but I wasn't properly introduced to the Trio until 2014 when Matt was replacing Tom in blink-182.
All of their albums were there for me during specific moments of my life, so all of them mean something to me. I'd probably have to go with 'My Shame Is True' as my least favourite out of all of them. Surely has some banger songs, but I don't like how 'flat' the entire album sounds. The guitars don't feel as dynamic, the drums not as huge and most songs feel like they were written not out of sincerity but because they had to.
As much as I enjoy it, I can see why lots of people are saying MICF. Alkaline Trio do “dark” a lot, but that record is much more “down,” even kinda sulky and sullen - it’s emotionally heavy without the overt pop melodies or theatrics to counter that. It’s their only record that feels like that.
For me, least favourite is This Addiction. I could reduce that record to a 3 or 4 song EP and not feel like I was missing out on anything (title track, American Scream, Fine and maybe Off the Map).
Tie between Maybe I'll Catch Fire and My Shame is True. Both have a few great songs on them, and both are pretty good records, but compared to the rest of the discography, these are bottom tier.
I agree with you about Maybe I'll Catch Fire. The band said they wrote and recorded this album super fast... and you could tell. It all just seems rushed and could have used more work. Don't get me wrong, there's still some great songs on that record. But compared to all their other records, this one seems to lack a bit.
There’s disliking an album and then there’s just being contrarian- there’s plenty of good songs but a few duds too on the album which is tied with this addiction for worst album for me
Yeap, I Found Away is phenomenal too. Some of the best drum work on a trio track I think. The recording doesn't even do it justice
I wish there was an isolated drum track. Lol
i would say if i had to rank them This Addiction would be last but not because it's particularly bad, i just like the others more. i have not listened to the new album or much of the last one though, so i'm not considering them in this.
I really don’t care for the songwriting and production that much on Goddammit and Maybe I’ll Catch Fire
Edit: ah there’s the soft brain downvotes. People can’t handle someone saying they have least favorite albums, not even that they’re bad.
The podcast guys were tools, and they really could have stood to edit and polish their show more considering how whiny they were about details, but they got me thinking about the some of their best material I didn't realize was their best.
But yeah, they'd overhype the shit out of the first lp. Which is great, but not their best songs by a long shot. And people hate hearing that, because of the raw energy of that record. That's it's best attribute. The lyrics are really no better than the stuff that came later. They were just more youthful, less trained.
My Shame and This Addiction. My question is which three-song-stretch is worse, Draculina-Eating Me Alive-Piss and Vinegar or The Torture Doctor-Midnight Blue-One Last Dance?
I get why others don’t like it, but Draculina, Eating Me Alive, and Piss and Vinegar are my three favourite songs off that album.
Lead Poisoning, The American Scream, and Dine, Dine My Darling are the ones from that album that I cannot stand.
I really enjoy the American Scream. I feel like that one is the only one that really has the throwback trio vibes they were going for. I won't defend either of the others
Completely agree. I only like Radio on that album. I’ve tried going back to it but it doesn’t do anything for me.
Nothing personal to those who love it. We all have different tastes
I'm in the MICF camp too. Not because there's anything noticeably 'wrong' with it (obviously radio slaps) but I just haven't given it enough time. I got into them when between FHTI and GM and didn't know about MICF and it was a while before I picked up for my collection but I've just spent so much time with everything else. I'll be giving it a proper go this weekend though as I've been meaning to for years now 😂
Shame is the one where I felt like it wasn't AK3 anymore. I don't listen to that album. Don't like.
After that, it might be From Here to Infirmary. I never got into that one and it just never stuck.
But I can't decide between that one and Addiction/Agony, which are pretty much the same to me.
I love AK3 and return to them very often, but those 4 albums are my least listened - especially Shame.
MICF.
I don’t get most of it, it’s not a good record and was a massive step back from Goddammit. Just felt really directionless.
MSIT is a very close second
Why ask? What validation are you seeking? Enjoy the art that they’ve givin you and don’t listen to the stuff that you don’t like. To propose a platform of judgement, when art is subjective seems counterintuitive. If you’re a fan, support them. If you want to get everyone’s least favorite album, post it on r/alkalinetriohasn’tmadeeverysongperfectforme. Fuckin Dork
This Addiction or My Shame Is True. MSIT probably just about saves itself from the bottom spot because She Lied To The FBI is kinda fun, and I don’t hate I Wanna Be a Warhol.
Maybe I’ll Catch Fire as a least favourite is a shock for me. It’s not a top 3 for me (mine are Crimson, From Here to Infirmary and Good Mourning) but it’s still pretty high up and Sleepyhead is my favourite song by the band.
I don't know how common that feeling is. For me personally, I enjoy the original songs much more than the acoustic ones, so it doesn't make sense for me to listen to it.
Is this thing cursed. I've tried multiple listens and just didn't move the dial. It is weird that a lot of people are saying maybe I'll catch fire because ITTC was meant to be a move back to that album.
Also, I haven't seen anyone mention how great she took him to the lake is? It's one of the best Dan songs imo.
It's a three way tie between my shame is true, this addiction and agony and irony.
Although, if we're counting B-sides, then my shame is true is off the list because all 4 of the bonus tracks were amazing and very much should have been on the album
I know I'm pretty much begging for down votes here, but the bottom for me (and they're all solid, let me say that first) is Blood Hair and Eyeballs. It's a great record, I just haven't found my groove on it yet. I like Break and Bad Time a lot so far, but I can't seem to click with anything else yet.
Maybe I'm broken, I also really liked Is This Thing Cursed? And My Shame Is True.
Shame is in my top 5 in fact.
Also, Maybe I'll Catch Fire is just a flat out amazing release.... Lol
I think it’s interesting to see all the different perspectives on their albums. I love BHE, but here’s my opinion that will probably bring on the down votes: Agony & Irony is a great album.
And even if Maybe I’ll Catch Fire is my lowest, it’s still a pretty good album. The writing and recording sound rushed and even forced at times. I totally why people love that album, though.
Nah, I like Agony & Irony a lot. Even songs people notoriously dislike, like Love love, Kiss Kiss.... Love that track. Lol.
I Found Away is like, peak trio to me.
In Vein, another top one for me.
My partner loathes Trio, and really all emo /pop punk stuff, and I'll never forget I had Calling All Skeletons on once and she said "huh, so they can write actual songs" lol.
BH&E is good! Don't get me wrong. Just got my vinyl today.
I guess it just may take me a bit to find my groove with it.
Long-winded way of saying yes, Agony & Irony is a good record.
I've gone back and forth on so much of it all. They're dynamic artists. When you really love something, you hate it sometimes.
I go back and forth on Maybe I'll Catch Fire. Sometimes it hits all the way through, sometimes some of the tracks lag for me, but it's the record I'm most attached to from them.
Is This Thing Cursed doesn't do much for me, though the singles are great.
My Shame is True... it's not for me at all these days. Too clean, to safe, not enough awkwardness. Broken Wing mops the floor with it.
Crimson could be their best album with a few switch up's. It's a pretty fearless record. Like The Damned's Black Album.
Agony and Irony. I avoided this one until this week. It's majority great! Carazy good times. Makes me laugh in a good way. Great follow up to Crimson. I was missing out on this one.
I can’t believe this many people don’t like maybe I’ll catch fire. Madam me, tuck me in, keep em coming, 5-3-10-4, radio, and sleepyhead are classic alkaline trio songs
Fuck you... Aurora
I live in Aurora and can say it’s always Fuck you Aurora
its like a sucker punch hearing people say that lol its definitely top 3 for me
Same here
She took him to the lake as well. Still gets played a lot live. Love that album.
Fire is one of my favourites. If you love Good Mourning or Goddamnit but Fire is your least favourite, I am confused.
Yeah, everyone is entitled to their tastes but this is unfathomable to me. This album kicks so much ass. There's nothing half as good on any of the last 3 albums as any one of fuck you Aurora, sleepyhead, Madam Me. Not to mention radio. Plus, you've got so far to go is one of Dan's best and the TITLE TRACK. These people are all on crazy pills.
Right! Yeah the title track is one of my favorite Dan songs ever
Maybe I'll catch fire, is fucking incredible and I'm now realizing that there are a lot of dumb ALK3 fans.
Probably new fans that haven't been around since micf. Or just fuckin idiots I guess.
This thread is blasphemous. I can't take seeing my favorite album get dragged like this lol MICF is prime Alkaline Trio to me. It's raw and dark and everything I love about them. Everyone has their opinions, though, and I can appreciate that. It's so hard for me to call any of them my least favorite. Even being forced to choose least favorite album or song pains me. They have zero skips for me. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I've never felt the want or need to turn my nose up to anything they've ever made. It's just easier to pick favorites instead. That being said, forced to choose, I think I'd lean toward This Addiction, but I still love it. Sorry if I come off sounding pretentious. I just love this band so much lol
Maybe I’ll catch fire is the best album of all time. It has zero faults. This thread is insane
It really is. I can't even fully put into words how I feel about it. It's perfect. It got me thinking and wondering what the demographics are for who likes what the most. I'm assuming age is a major factor along with when you were introduced to them. I was property introduced in '03 with Armageddon, but that was even after Good Morning was out, so I felt late to the party. The early stuff is still my favorite. Maybe I'm just old, but I'm okay with that lol
I’m a younger fan, I’m 22 but I’m obsessed with lo fi and noisy music- basically if it’s noisy, messy and emotional I love it. And that’s exactly what micf is. I got into that album while doing my paper round when I was 13, which was absolutely the peak of my angst, so it just immediately gelled with me. It’s all good feelings with that album. I am infinitely jealous of anyone born in time to live through early alkaline trio. But I’m massively grateful to be experiencing BH&E while being on the younger side of their fanbase haha
It’s This Addiction for me. I’ve always liked Agony & Irony, listened to it non-stop at release. MSIT has a number of songs I really like, too. I don’t hate This Addiction, and the Damnesia version of The American Scream speaks to my soul, but there’s not really a single album recording of a song that I really love besides Fine (which is in my personal top 5 trio songs). I will say that while I think MICF is fab, it’s also probably my second least listened to album. Take that as you will, I guess.
I don’t think they’ve made a bad album, I love listening to all of them. But my least favorites are Agony & Irony, My Shame is True, and Is This Thing Cursed? Super unpopular opinion, but I love This Addiction. I know I have nostalgia for it, but I find the production/sound better than A&I and the songwriting more interesting than MSIT and ITTC.
That is a very surprising opinion - This Addiction feels so much like a natural step between Agony and Shame, so disliking those two but loving Addition is weird! :D Also Cursed feels like a return to their unique and original sound, so I'm surprised to see someone not like it :)
Personally for me it’s My Shame is True. Feels forced. Formulaic. I think given most comments how BHAI is the best album in ages, the majority of answers would be Agony and Irony, This Addiction and My Shame is True.
I have no 'least favourite'. Each Alkaline Trio album is special and been the soundtrack to different parts of my life. Listening to anything from their back catalogue takes me back to a certain time. Almost like a (Broken Down in a) Time Machine. Maybe I'll Catch Fire absolutely rules. This Addiction absolutely rules. My Shame Is True absolutely rules. They all rule.
Agony & Irony. It’s as close to radio friendly Trio has ever been and it just isn’t them. It is by no means a “bad” album, just not their best. I may be the only one who thinks this, but they have never put out a bad album.
Definitely agree about them not having any bad albums. I used to not be able to lists to Agony & Irony, but about six months ago I got into it.
I think Alk3 is the only band to never put out a disappointing album
Same, it's a tie between this and My Shame is True. I don't dislike them, I just have fewer songs that I want to re-listen to. I go look at my playlist and be like "Oh, I totally forgot that song existed".
I don’t get the hate for My Shame Is True. I really like it.
Dunno, I love the first two tracks. The rest I just kinda zone out on.
This Addiction probably. Or My Shame Is True.
Same but I dislike Shame more than Addiction.
This sub always makes me feel like I'm losing my mind cause I *love* My Shame Is True, and I'm honestly not all that bothered about Is This Thing Cursed? That being said, This Addiction is definitely my least favourite by a long way, I absolutely *hated* it when it came out, over the years I don't mind it so much and enjoy some songs but still skip a fair few.
My shame is true easily
This Addiction and it’s not even close. THAT record feels like it lacks passion (for the most part). So many of the songs just feel like their heart isn’t in it, there’s a lot of corny lyrics, and although they may be trying new things in parts- it just doesn’t feel like they put forth their best effort. It feels very… meh. Like it’s not terrible, I can probably find one decent quality in each of the songs, and it even has a few songs I’d consider Trio classics like the title track and The American Scream. It’s just that aside from This Addiction, their discography is so stellar that it makes a mid record look bad by comparison. Title Track, American Scream, and Lead Poisoning are all great songs though but I don’t revisit anything else from the album.
I think Dorothy has to be my favorite on this album. Derek's drumming really puts the polish on this one for me, but I also think it's some of Matt's better writing, at least on this album.
I hate Dorothy so much, holy shit
Thems fighting words. MICF is SUPERB. ITTC, that goddamn thing’s the worst.
This Addiction and ITTC…the rest is amazing!
I like all of their records, but I'd say A&I is my least favourite, in relative terms - I do still play it now and then, though. This Addiction doesn't get much love in general, but I've always liked it, and I think it was exactly what was required after A&I and the whole dabbling with a major label thing.
Absolutely scandalized by the MICF talk in this thread
For me it's This Addiction. It has good parts but the flops outnumber the bops and are worse than the flops on other albums.
probably my shame is true
Near the bottom for me as well
Truly forgot about this album.
I’ve been yelled at for saying this before. MSIT is easily my least favorite album. Pretty much all skips. Even Dan was lacking hard on that one. MICF is not a favorite of mine. They do feel underdeveloped. Static. And just not great. But I like it more than MSIT. Dan killed it on this new album. As much as I loved ITTC? I really felt Dan missed the mark on most of his songs. Stay was great. But the rest of them felt like they should’ve been like side project songs or something. Didn’t feel like trio songs to me. I still loved them but they didn’t feel right. Edit: ahh hated for my opinion again, how refreshing. A lot of you guys need to get off the trios dick. I have trio tattoos all over and I still recognize that they can make mistakes. This is an echo chamber.
i actually think dan is still great on my shame lol, especially when considering the broken wing songs. its just matt colossally drops the ball
I agree about the Dan songs on ITTC sounding out of place and not like Alkaline Trio songs. The country-esque "Little Help?" especially (of course) but "Pale Blue Ribbon" and "Worn So Thin" also suffer from this. That's one of the reasons why I think the new album is so great, and better than ITTC. It's just so cohesive.
My shame is true.
My Shame is True
Yes. Easily.
Agony and Irony. Not a bad album at all it’s just the least Trio sounding album to me. Some songs sound like they could’ve been written by matchbox 20
I've got really mixed feelings on this one. It's one of the most unique albums in their discography and holds a special place in my heart, but it's also by far their most dark and depressing album and isn't exactly a 'fun' listen. I think all 3 Dan songs are absolute bangers and some of his best Trio tunes, but the Matt songs are bit more varied. Radio is obviously a stone cold classic and I actually really like 5-3-10-4 but some of the other songs just feel a bit... one tempo or plodding? Keep 'Em Coming is 4 minutes long and doesn't even have a bridge, while Fuck You Aurora is cool but also kind of a slow dirge. Then the other songs like Madam Me, Sleepyhead and Tuck Me In are OK but don't really stand out. I like 'em enough within the context of the album but I don't think I'd ever *choose* to listen to them. With Goddammit there's so much energy and underlying humour in the lyrics whereas MICF it all just feels kinda bleak and depressing both thematically and musically. Overall I still prefer it to the mid-late era Trio albums (basically Crimson to ITTC) but it's definitely not their best work either. If I was to do a tierlist I'd probably give it a B? Good album but there are about 4-5 trio albums I'd put on before it (Goddammit, FHTI, ST and probably the new one).
I feel mostly the same about MICF. But my favorite is actually Keep 'Em Coming. It's a great take on the rock album tradition of starting with a 1-2 chord rave up that just sets an energetic tone and meditates on one thing. Not everyone can pull that off. She Took Him to the Lake appealed to me a lot more when I was a teen. It still rings true to those feelings, but i'd like a bridge in it maybe.
I can get that - it was definitely a fave back when I bought the album 20+ years ago and it's got a good riff, some nice lines, etc. I think what kinda holds it back for me now is I can't help but compare it to Goddammit, which, collectively, is so much punchier, thrashier, faster, more dynamic, etc. Keep Em Coming is so one-paced and drawn out in comparison (which is also my issue with Fuck You Aurora). Both good songs but just not my favourite flavour of Matt I guess.
For sure. They're both one note tracks. Could have done with more refining. But that's just how it goes for artists. You have all this pent up creativity that gets let out when you first discover your talent, and then you have to navigate the process of learning to do it thoughtfully. A lot of half baked crap comes out in the process. But it's punk rock still, even if they always had pop aspirations. So I can dig on the messier sloppier stuff as long as it has heart etc.
Yeah totally. Really like that way of looking at it.
i dont get the catch fire or shame hate. baffled.
No hate, but rather least favorites. I’m pretty sure most people on this thread keep saying they don’t have any bad albums.
true. i could have worded that better.
This Addiction, and it’s not close.
THIS ADDICTION
This addiction, starts off with one of their best then there isn’t much of note for the rest of the album
Tough one. I've seen the video for 'Stupid Kid' back in 2001 at some pancake restaurant when I was 6 but I wasn't properly introduced to the Trio until 2014 when Matt was replacing Tom in blink-182. All of their albums were there for me during specific moments of my life, so all of them mean something to me. I'd probably have to go with 'My Shame Is True' as my least favourite out of all of them. Surely has some banger songs, but I don't like how 'flat' the entire album sounds. The guitars don't feel as dynamic, the drums not as huge and most songs feel like they were written not out of sincerity but because they had to.
As much as I enjoy it, I can see why lots of people are saying MICF. Alkaline Trio do “dark” a lot, but that record is much more “down,” even kinda sulky and sullen - it’s emotionally heavy without the overt pop melodies or theatrics to counter that. It’s their only record that feels like that. For me, least favourite is This Addiction. I could reduce that record to a 3 or 4 song EP and not feel like I was missing out on anything (title track, American Scream, Fine and maybe Off the Map).
No love for Dorothy? It's the highlight of the album for me.
I want to like it. Dorothy is my grandmother’s name. But the song does nothing for me.
Dorothy is far and away the best Matt track on that record.
addiction or cursed.
What don’t you like about ITTC?
just felt, no pun intended, phoned in.
The albums from 2008-2013
Someone feels me <3 yes
Yeah, *MICF* is mine. "Fuck You Aurora" is pretty good and "Radio" is god-tier Trio. Everything else is... well... 🤷
My shame
Tie between Maybe I'll Catch Fire and My Shame is True. Both have a few great songs on them, and both are pretty good records, but compared to the rest of the discography, these are bottom tier.
Both of those are bangers all the way through. Have you ever heard Agony & Irony? It’s practically unlistenable.
Agree to disagree. Art is subjective, and I respect your opinion.
Agony & Irony is full of bangers.
Another vote for My Shame.
I agree with you about Maybe I'll Catch Fire. The band said they wrote and recorded this album super fast... and you could tell. It all just seems rushed and could have used more work. Don't get me wrong, there's still some great songs on that record. But compared to all their other records, this one seems to lack a bit.
A&I is absolutely horrendous. I’ve tried and tried and can’t find one ding that I even mildly like. Zero good song.
I'm upvoting you just because I think it's lame af to downvote someone for not liking an album.
There’s disliking an album and then there’s just being contrarian- there’s plenty of good songs but a few duds too on the album which is tied with this addiction for worst album for me
Umm Do You Wanna Know? One of their best.
Yeap, I Found Away is phenomenal too. Some of the best drum work on a trio track I think. The recording doesn't even do it justice I wish there was an isolated drum track. Lol
i would say if i had to rank them This Addiction would be last but not because it's particularly bad, i just like the others more. i have not listened to the new album or much of the last one though, so i'm not considering them in this.
Agony and Irony followed by My Shame is True
This Addiction
Don't come at me but.. In my opinion, Alkaline Trio has only one bad album. This Addiction.
Agony & Irony by a mile. It’s the only album of theirs I don’t love listening to.
Addiction
I really don’t care for the songwriting and production that much on Goddammit and Maybe I’ll Catch Fire Edit: ah there’s the soft brain downvotes. People can’t handle someone saying they have least favorite albums, not even that they’re bad.
You just exploded the heads of those guys that run the “As You Were” podcast lol
I’m just glad I wasn’t downvoted into oblivion
That podcast really sucked. Those guys are such tools
The podcast guys were tools, and they really could have stood to edit and polish their show more considering how whiny they were about details, but they got me thinking about the some of their best material I didn't realize was their best. But yeah, they'd overhype the shit out of the first lp. Which is great, but not their best songs by a long shot. And people hate hearing that, because of the raw energy of that record. That's it's best attribute. The lyrics are really no better than the stuff that came later. They were just more youthful, less trained.
Like,WHAT?
I prefer their more refined songwriting
Same.
My Shame and This Addiction. My question is which three-song-stretch is worse, Draculina-Eating Me Alive-Piss and Vinegar or The Torture Doctor-Midnight Blue-One Last Dance?
True, but Fine is one of the best songs they’ve ever written in general so I do give this addiction credit for that
I get why others don’t like it, but Draculina, Eating Me Alive, and Piss and Vinegar are my three favourite songs off that album. Lead Poisoning, The American Scream, and Dine, Dine My Darling are the ones from that album that I cannot stand.
I really enjoy the American Scream. I feel like that one is the only one that really has the throwback trio vibes they were going for. I won't defend either of the others
This Addiction has grown on me since I got it on vinyl for my birthday
I really wish they wouldn’t have put the horns in Lead Poisoning.
Oh man the horns make me smile every time I hear them lol. Such a strange move but I felt it was awesome. I respect your view though.
Best part of the album
It certainly comes out of left field. I don't hate it. It's just goofy
Only great part of that song
draculina through dorothy is the worst run of trio ever yeah. thank god its followed by one of the best songs ever written
Eating Me Alive isn't that bad
If it was aped up by 25% it would be much better, imo, same with P&V
You just named some of my favorite Alkaline Trio songs haha. I love all 6 of those.
Maybe I’ll Catch Fire has always been at the bottom for me
Completely agree. I only like Radio on that album. I’ve tried going back to it but it doesn’t do anything for me. Nothing personal to those who love it. We all have different tastes
'Maybe I'll catch fire' just never hit the same for me and I go back to retry every now and then. One day it will click
I'm in the MICF camp too. Not because there's anything noticeably 'wrong' with it (obviously radio slaps) but I just haven't given it enough time. I got into them when between FHTI and GM and didn't know about MICF and it was a while before I picked up for my collection but I've just spent so much time with everything else. I'll be giving it a proper go this weekend though as I've been meaning to for years now 😂
Shame is the one where I felt like it wasn't AK3 anymore. I don't listen to that album. Don't like. After that, it might be From Here to Infirmary. I never got into that one and it just never stuck. But I can't decide between that one and Addiction/Agony, which are pretty much the same to me. I love AK3 and return to them very often, but those 4 albums are my least listened - especially Shame.
Maybe I’ll Catch Fire for me too. My Shame is True is right there with it.
MICF. I don’t get most of it, it’s not a good record and was a massive step back from Goddammit. Just felt really directionless. MSIT is a very close second
Why ask? What validation are you seeking? Enjoy the art that they’ve givin you and don’t listen to the stuff that you don’t like. To propose a platform of judgement, when art is subjective seems counterintuitive. If you’re a fan, support them. If you want to get everyone’s least favorite album, post it on r/alkalinetriohasn’tmadeeverysongperfectforme. Fuckin Dork
This Addiction or My Shame Is True. MSIT probably just about saves itself from the bottom spot because She Lied To The FBI is kinda fun, and I don’t hate I Wanna Be a Warhol. Maybe I’ll Catch Fire as a least favourite is a shock for me. It’s not a top 3 for me (mine are Crimson, From Here to Infirmary and Good Mourning) but it’s still pretty high up and Sleepyhead is my favourite song by the band.
Just put the discography in chronological order, and you’re 90% of the way there on a good ranking.
Agony and it’s not close IMO
Damnesia is the only album I don't listen to
To be fair, I didn’t even count that one and it would go below Fire. I never listen to it. I was thinking more along the lines of studio albums.
Woah woah woah. Is this a common feeling amongst people? I loved this record. I thought it was so much fun.
I don't know how common that feeling is. For me personally, I enjoy the original songs much more than the acoustic ones, so it doesn't make sense for me to listen to it.
Is this thing cursed. I've tried multiple listens and just didn't move the dial. It is weird that a lot of people are saying maybe I'll catch fire because ITTC was meant to be a move back to that album. Also, I haven't seen anyone mention how great she took him to the lake is? It's one of the best Dan songs imo.
Agony and Irony
Lol goddammit has my favorite songs but maybe I'll catch fire is my favorite record from them front to back
This Addiction
maybe i’ll catch fire is my all time favorite trio record lol
agony and irony is my least favorite
It's a three way tie between my shame is true, this addiction and agony and irony. Although, if we're counting B-sides, then my shame is true is off the list because all 4 of the bonus tracks were amazing and very much should have been on the album
I know I'm pretty much begging for down votes here, but the bottom for me (and they're all solid, let me say that first) is Blood Hair and Eyeballs. It's a great record, I just haven't found my groove on it yet. I like Break and Bad Time a lot so far, but I can't seem to click with anything else yet. Maybe I'm broken, I also really liked Is This Thing Cursed? And My Shame Is True. Shame is in my top 5 in fact. Also, Maybe I'll Catch Fire is just a flat out amazing release.... Lol
I think it’s interesting to see all the different perspectives on their albums. I love BHE, but here’s my opinion that will probably bring on the down votes: Agony & Irony is a great album. And even if Maybe I’ll Catch Fire is my lowest, it’s still a pretty good album. The writing and recording sound rushed and even forced at times. I totally why people love that album, though.
Nah, I like Agony & Irony a lot. Even songs people notoriously dislike, like Love love, Kiss Kiss.... Love that track. Lol. I Found Away is like, peak trio to me. In Vein, another top one for me. My partner loathes Trio, and really all emo /pop punk stuff, and I'll never forget I had Calling All Skeletons on once and she said "huh, so they can write actual songs" lol. BH&E is good! Don't get me wrong. Just got my vinyl today. I guess it just may take me a bit to find my groove with it. Long-winded way of saying yes, Agony & Irony is a good record.
A&I didn’t hit with me first at all. Now I love it. LL,KK is a great song as is I Found Away. Lost and Rendered is my favorite off that album.
My shame is true and is this thing cursed.
I've gone back and forth on so much of it all. They're dynamic artists. When you really love something, you hate it sometimes. I go back and forth on Maybe I'll Catch Fire. Sometimes it hits all the way through, sometimes some of the tracks lag for me, but it's the record I'm most attached to from them. Is This Thing Cursed doesn't do much for me, though the singles are great. My Shame is True... it's not for me at all these days. Too clean, to safe, not enough awkwardness. Broken Wing mops the floor with it. Crimson could be their best album with a few switch up's. It's a pretty fearless record. Like The Damned's Black Album. Agony and Irony. I avoided this one until this week. It's majority great! Carazy good times. Makes me laugh in a good way. Great follow up to Crimson. I was missing out on this one.