Taking Back Sunday
“Taking Back Sunday”
(WB)

I don’t know too many people who are still into this band. Most former fans I know walked away after the “classic line-up” imploded following the popularity of their debut record, “Tell All Your Friends.” Whatever goodwill they had gained with the addition of Breaking Pangaea/Terrible Things frontman Fred Mascharino and session bassist Matt Rubano fell apart when Mascharino left and TBS released the underwhelming “New Again” album.

Now back with OG members, John Nolan and Shaun Cooper, Taking Back Sunday tries to capture lightning in a bottle again with their fourth effort, a self-titled record.

If people are waiting for “Tell All Your Friends Pt.2,” this record certainly isn’t it. If anything, it’s more of a weird rock record with pop elements. It’s definitely as “heavy” and caustic as a band like Taking Back Sunday can get, but it’s not redefining the genre. In fact, I would expect kids to react to this in the way that they may have reacted to Brand New’s “Daisy” — with dismay due to the fact that they didn’t write another easily digestible record.

There’s some nods to the melodic talent of the band in songs like “Since You’re Gone” and “Faith (When I Let You Down).” And uptempo songs like “El Paso” and “It Doesn’t Feel like Falling” are strong enough to pique interest in “Self-Titled,” yet yawn-inducing tunes like “Sad Savior” and “Money (Let it Go)” make it drag.

There’s a lot in value in Taking Back Sunday’s latest/older configuration and the off-time rhythms that Nolan and Cooper brought to Straylight Run, their interim band, are present, but it’s not too overwhelming.

“Taking Back Sunday” is a slow-burning album and one that can get better the more you listen to it, but it is worlds away from the angst of what people may be expecting.

— Ryan Pangilinan