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Though the current world of Alkaline Trio is not nearly as
fraught with and fueled by drink and drama as in the band's
formative years, the making of the new Crimson was not without
its share of dark portents: Two bone-shattering skateboarding
accidents, one PunkVoter tour that failed to block the reelection
of George W. Bush... but oddly enough: No failed relationships!
With marital bliss on the horizon for guitarist/vocalist Matt
Skiba and drummer Derek Grant, and having already claimed
bassist/vocalist Dan Andriano, the Trio was forced to dig
deeper for inspiration than their latest and greatest benders
and which ex-girlfriend(s) may or may not have burned down
their last house(s)...
As a result Crimson stands as the most mature and ambitious
13 songs Alkaline Trio has ever pushed itself to create, with
able guidance from producer Jerry Finn (Green Day, Blink-182,
Jawbreaker). From the ominous piano and atmospherics opening
of first single "Time To Waste" to closing ballad
"Smoke," not a moment or note is wasted as the familiar
Trio balance of darkness and melody on "Mercy Me,"
"Dethbed" and "The Poison" nestles up
against increasingly progressive tempos and arrangements of
"Burn" and "Satin," and the epic true-to-life
tales of Manson family member Sadie Mae Glutz ("Sadie")
and the West Memphis Three ("Prevent This Tragedy").
Alkaline Trio's legacy harkens back to 1997, when Matt Skiba,
a bike messenger from working class Chicago 'burb McHenry,
gave up the drums for the guitar and began his quest for the
perfect balance of lyrical hell and pop heaven. He and fellow
messenger / drummer Glenn Porter and bassist Rob Doran would
debut as Alkaline Trio for the Sundials 7". Dan Andriano
replaced Doran prior to the For Your Lungs Only EP, adding
a second voice and songwriting style that complemented and
contrasted with Skiba's, and the signature Alkaline Trio sound
was born.
Two albums on indie Asian Man Records, Goddamnit and Maybe
I'll Catch Fire, followed in 1998 and 2000 respectively, punctuated
by hard touring and yielding to-this-day live favorites "Radio,"
"Nose Over Tail" and the latter's title track. A
self-titled compilation of early singles, EPs, compilation
tracks and others odds 'n' ends followed later in 2000.
From Here To Infirmary was released in 2001, marking both
the Trio's Vagrant Records debut and the addition of ex-Smoking
Popes drummer Mike Felumlee to the fold. Singles "Private
Eye" and "Stupid Kid" and staples "Crawl"
and "Another Innocent Girl" became instant classics
to the exponentially growing Alkaline Trio fan base that buoyed
the record into the top 200 and packed clubs and theaters,
transforming the band into a formidable worldwide draw.
The current Alkaline Trio line-up finally solidified with
2003's Good Mourning, as former Suicide Machines drummer Derek
Grant came aboard for the perfection of the Trio sonic identity
that had been evolving since '97. On the strength of anti-mainstream
anthem "We've Had Enough," the cloyingly bittersweet
"All On Black," a yearning "100 Stories"
and cautionary love and death serials "Emma" and
"This Could Be Love," Good Mourning crashed into
the Top 40, saw the band's debuts on "Late Night with
Conan O'Brien" and "The Late Show With David Letterman",
and received raves from Rolling Stone, SPIN, Entertainment
Weekly and the cover of Alternative Press.
Band description courtesy of Luckymanonline.com
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