Goddamnit [CD/DVD]

The Alkaline Trio: Matt Skiba (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Dan Andriano (acoustic guitar, bass, background vocals); Glenn Porter (drums, background vocals).
The debut full-length from this Chicago three-piece is hands down the perfect listening in the wake of a broken heart. Featuring ex-members of 88 Fingers Louie and Slapstick, Alkaline Trio combine harsh, emotion-filled pop-punk with sappy, heartfelt lyrics that don't go beyond the point of corniness. Crowd pleasers such as "San Francisco," "Message from Kathlene," and "Clavicle" define the trio's sound of catchy pop riffs and the occasional harmonies while having enough energy and pickup to take out the aggressions of anyone's bad day. In the same package, acoustic-filled angst such as "Enjoy Your Day" and "Sorry About That" can push the right buttons to appeal to any hard guy's sensitive side. It's rare that a band such as Alkaline Trio can make love songs appealing without being labeled as "wimpy" or "generic," and Goddamnit! is the record to erase those labels. ~ Mike DaRonco