Alkaline Trio - Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs

Alkaline Trio has recently released their new album, "Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs," which really stands out as one of their best works to date. The band has taken a back-to-basics approach on this full-length, delivering a sound that feels pure and free of any artificiality and overly plasticky studio tricks. In other words, it's all more organic and spontaneous.

Despite the stripped-back approach, the album boasts a new complexity in terms of song structures. Matt Skiba, who spent the last decade as a member of Blink-182, has brought some of the tricks he learned from the California pop-punkers to the table when it comes to songwriting. Not that he needed schooling: Skiba has always been a very gifted songwriter in his own right, but he stated that he was fascinated to see how a huge machine like Blink would operate at that point in their career, often starting song ideas from scratch rather than having a member bring an idea to the table for the group o work on. "Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs" came to life that way, with the songs taking shape organically from sessions involving the full band.

The album essentially explores the everyday horror of growing old in a faltering world. The band explores these topics without sounding too preachy or on the nose. The band has revisited their noir aesthetics through the lens of current social and political issues, incorporating nostalgia, irony, acute observation, and dark humor in equal parts.

"Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs" is a remarkable release that undoubtedly showcases some of Alkaline Trio's most inspired writing in recent years. The album looks both backward and forward, calling back to touchstones from all their major eras and synthesizing them into a whole that feels entirely new. It's definitely a must-listen for any fan of the band or the genre.

Also recommended: The Lawrence Arms, Dead Rituals, Cloud Nothings, Bayside

Looking for new music? Check out our Spotify playlist, featuring some cuts from this album and other excellent punk, alternative and indie acts!

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