Tag Archives: taking back sunday

#1214: Taking Back Sunday – Sink into Me

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After releasing Louder Now back in 2006 and going through the whole touring and promoting singles process, Taking Back Sunday took an extended break. During it, guitarist Fred Mascherino departed the band on not such great terms. A shame because, at least to me, he was the guy who always gave the great backing vocals and provided the lead guitar in all the Louder Now songs I liked. Whatever the band were to come back with would obviously never be the same. That was all in 2007. Wikipedia says that they announced new guitarist Matthew Fazzi in 2008. It’s not something I can remember myself, but I’ll take its word. But new music by the band wouldn’t arrive until a year later, when the new lineup was marked with the arrival of the new single ‘Sink into Me’.

The video played on MTV2 a lot of the time from what I can recall. It was very clear that this Taking Back Sunday was going to be much different from that of the last album cycle. Compared to the likes of ‘MakeDamnSure’ or ‘Liar (It Takes One to Know One)’, ‘Sink into Me’ went for a sort of rawer feel. Almost sounded like something of a punk song. Almost. And the 14-year-old I was at the time was all for this new direction. The guitarist may have changed, but Adam Lazzara’s voice hadn’t changed all that much. And though the prominent backing vocals once covered by Mascherino weren’t there anymore, the constant “hey heys” in this track can’t compare, the loss was more than made up for by the general energy and thrill the music provided. I feel like it must have been a sign for big, big Taking Back Sunday fans that things were gonna be just fine.

In my case though, I never heard another Taking Back Sunday song from this period of the band. I don’t think there was a video made for another track from New Again. If there was, it definitely didn’t play on the TV over here in the UK. So everything about the album sort of came and went. ‘Sink into Me’ always stuck with me though, so that’s why I’m here today to talk about it. Never thought about what it could be about before. If I were to guess… maybe some sadomasochism thing going on. There are usually some sexual undertones in Lazzara’s lyrics, I don’t think it’d be wrong to say it’s the same here. Just a shame that this lineup of the band didn’t stick around for a longer time. Not even a year had passed and Fazzi was let go by the band along with their bass guitarist. Or they both stated they were leaving. Since then, haven’t listened to any new Taking Back Sunday at all really. But I hope they’re all doing well.

#836: Taking Back Sunday – Miami

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Well, well. Taking Back Sunday. Maybe you were expecting it, maybe you weren’t. Maybe you didn’t really care. But here’s the first post I’ve done for the band. Back in 2006, ‘MakeDamnSure’ was a song that I always had to listen to/see when its video came on the television. My sister really liked that song too. So much so that I think she borrowed the Louder Now album from a friend when it was released in April of that year. As time went on, my own enjoyment of that song faded. It just reminds me of being a dumb 11-year old. But there are a few songs on there that get me going each time. ‘Miami’ is one of them.

Now I can’t front. I have no idea what this song is about. Fifteen years, I’ve never cared to take the time and find any interpretations. I don’t think I even liked the track that much when I first heard it. Guess it was a random day I heard it and it suddenly clicked. But the melodies are abundant. If a song has a great melody, it’s likely I’ll be into it – I’m not much of a lyrical person. And the guitar tones during the ‘Miami’ chorus stuck out just because of how unique they sounded compared to every other track on the album. So sleek and with a sheen. My own intepretation based on listening to it for so long… Well, I think it’s about a collection of things. Relationships. Being unable to capture a moment in the past when you were at your best. That’s just looking at the lyrics though.

I guess I would say Louder Now is my favourite Taking Back Sunday album. I’m not much of a TBS fan, but the album made me one for a bit. The back and forth between singer Adam Lazzara and then lead-guitarist Fred Mascherino on backing vocals made for some good listening. Each track on there had some sort of interplay between the two. Then Mascherino left to do his own thing. It took three years for another album by the band to see the light of day. Then I didn’t care that much anymore. Will still always have this album for the good old days.