Taking Back Sunday, "Where You Want to Be"
2004 Victory Records
Release: Tuesday, July 27th 2004
The second major label release from Taking Back Sunday titled Where You Want to Be is no Tell All Your Friends. The band has subtly changed their sound and is essentially a new band from the one that recorded TAYF. With only 2 remaining members from the debut CD, the sounds that this new band have created are definitely a makeover from previous songs. The sound isn't harder or softer, better or worse, faster or slower, it's just... different.
The record begins with a cool track titled Set Phasers to Stun in which the distortion of the guitars sounds almost like techno, it definitely shows the growth of the band and how their sounds have changed. The lyrics include the title of the CD, "So pace the stairs to your apartment; That's where you want to be." The song is very guitar-driven. It's stylish and is definitely a good choice to open the album with. The song is followed by the first new single, Bonus Mosh pt. II which was originally a B-Side to Tell All Your Friends. This track is one of the best on the album and you can hear traces of TAYF in this one. Smart lyrics and cool guitar lines. Next is A Decade Under the Influence, also a single off of the CD. A Decade is much softer and melody-driven with a pop-like sound. A very radio friendly track, but it's still very enjoyable. This Photograph is the Proof is next, which was a track used in the movie Spider-Man 2, this is another pop-ish track driven by smooth melodies and cool lyrics. This track is remenicent of Tell All Your Friends in the way that the bridge is one of the most important and most memorable parts of the song. The next song is The Union, this is where the album gets a little faster and a bit more hard with some metal-like guitar lines and very cool lyrics and screams, "Well, I never made a scene; They came to me." New American Classic is the next track and for many will be the first acoustic track heard from TBS. The sound and the lyrics are very different from their style and it almost interupts the CD. This track features a string section from a cello and violins. I am Fred Astaire compliments the previous track very well, it sounds like it takes the previous song and speeds it up. This track is very cool. One-Eighty by Summer is next and has some stylish lines. This song will be a lot of people's favorite. Number Five with a Bullet is my personal favorite, it has with a synthesizer in the background which is very hip. The song is very upbeat and is guaranteed to remind you of your first heartbreak. The next track is Little Devotional which is a great song. The guitar lines are some of the best on the album and the drums will get your feet tapping. Awesome track. The final official track is "...Slowdance on the Inside" which was originally written by John Nolan (former frontman of TBS) but John left the band before it was ever recorded, so here is your first chance (outside of the shows) to hear his lyrical genious on a great track. The song is drum and bass driven, and is one of the greatest tracks TBS has ever put together. And finally, for those of you who want to know about the special B-Side, the re-recording of TBS's first acoustic, "Your Own Disaster:" the song was original recorded as a B-Side to the first major CD, "Tell All Your Friends," but this was during a period when the band had no drummer and so in order to get it out before the album shipped, the song was recorded as an acoustic, and then later, electronic drums were added. The song didn't make it onto the album and the original is now a rare B-Side and is considered one of TBS's best songs. That said, the band decided that the song deserved to be re-recorded the way it was supposed to be made with real drums and Adam (TBS's new vocalist and frontman) on vocals. We'll have to wait until July 20th to hear the new re-recorded version which is set to be the 12th track on the Japanese release of the CD. For now, here is my rating of the album
9/10
Very enjoyable, and easy to listen to. This cd is very cool, even if it includes some tracks which you're almost sure to see on TRL, definitely pick up a copy.
Track Listing:
1.) Set Phasers to Stun
2.) Bonus Mosh pt. II
3.) A Decade Under the Influence
4.) This Photograph is Proof (I Know You Know)
5.) The Union
6.) New American Classic
7.) I am Fred Astaire
8.) One-Eighty by Summer
9.) Number 5 with a Bullet
10.) Litlle Devotional
11.) ...Slowdance on the Inside
12.) Your Own Disaster 2004 (Available only on the Japanese Import)