Alkaline Trio - Remains Album Review

Alkaline Trio
Remains
Album Review

Marmite - retrospective compilation albums by bands are often Marmite flavoured. You just either love 'em or hate 'em, depending upon whether or not you actually like the band in the first place. It's also hard to critically appraise a piece of work that is designed for the fans. It's like taking various parts of Michelangelo's statues attempting to review his life's work from a pile of arms and heads.

Nevertheless it would be fair to say that Alkaline Trio fans are going to go mental for this. A selection of live and rare tracks, together with an 'on the road' DVD, is going to feed the desires of the faithful until the new album appears. I'm sure the fans will salivate over rarities and gems aplenty, but to the ears of an outsider this is melodic, whining pop-punk at its worst. There's too many kids in town centres these days with black hair and stripey leggings, giggling in gangs who should be at home listening to the Ramones. I blame Alkaline Trio.

Rich Edge