Memo to Alkaline Trio – this is how you write a melodic punk rock album without losing any of that special thing that made you good in the first place.
While some fans may turn against Bayside for cranking up the melody factor, I’d ask anyone to listen to ‘Rochambo’ and tell me this band are not at the top of their game? Want hits? Then listen to any of ‘Boy’, ‘Howard’, ‘I Can’t Go On’… the list is endless. For me this is the best Bayside album yet. It has everything their last two records had, but just turns it all up to 11. The choruses are better. the riffs are better. The production’s better. See a theme developing?
Anthony Ranieri’s vocals are great throughout. The rasp is still there, as is the passion. On ‘Rochambo’ he manages to keep his calm while everything goes off around him. On ‘Boy’ he leads the track perfectly. On ‘The Ghost of St Valentine’ he takes control during the slower, quieter verses. They manage to do everything that you want from a Bayside record – and they do it to such a high standard. Bayside used to be the Alk3 soundalikes that lived in Skiba’s shadow. Not any more. This is better than any of the recent Alkaline Trio albums and, if there’s any justice, will propel them into the bigger leagues.