Where You Want to Be

Long Island, New York's Taking Back Sunday debuted in 2002 with TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS, an album that encapsulated the more accessible side of the East Coast emo-core sound. The band garnered a loyal following by combining sparklingly clean production, a razor-sharp guitar sound, and vocals that mixed the youthful optimism and energy of pop-punk with rigorous self-examination. On WHERE YOU WANT TO BE, Taking Back Sunday improves on a winning formula by exploring more diverse arrangements while retaining the group's trademark melancholy forcefulness. On "Set Phasers to Stun," the ensemble cops a Police-like rhythmic vibe, while "New American Classic" is a moving acoustic ballad complemented by Nick Drake-like strings. On this sophomore outing, Taking Back Sunday shows it isn't afraid to venture into new sonic territory.