As Alkaline Trio are one of my favourite bands I was really waiting for the release of the new album in 2010. Therefore I had not only ordered the European Release (Hassle Records) at Amazon but a special package at Epitaph as well. The package deal included a T-Shirt, This Addiction Single on vinyl, the album on red & green vinyl, a sticker and the CD with the deluxe version of the album. Luckily the package additionally included the possibility to download the special edition some days before the release as I was quite sure it would never be with me at release date. Actually it was there by time. So I can only say that Epitaph made a great job with the delivery from US to Germany.
The tracklist of the album is as follows:
- This Addiction
- Dine, Dine My Darling
- Lead Poisoning
- Dead On The Floor
- The American Scream
- Off The Map
- Draculina
- Eating Me Alive
- Piss And Vinegar
- Dorothy
- Fine
this would be the normal edition. In case of the deluxe version the following songs are additionally included:
- Kick Rocks
- Those Lungs
- This Addiction (acoustic)
- Dine Dine My Darling (acoustic)
- Dead On The Floor (acoustic)
- Fine (acoustic)
Over ITunes a version with a cover song „Two Lips, Two Lungs & One Tongue“ is included as special track.
I know that a lot of former Alkaline Trio fans argue that the band has drifted too much into the direction of main stream. The music too soft, the lyrics cheesy. I was definitely no fan of „Agony & Irony“, but not because of those reasons, it was more or less the point that none of the songs stuck with me. Besides from „In Vein“ & „I Found Away“ I can hardly say that I liked a song of the album. Much later at least „Love, Love, Kiss, Kiss“ found a way into my heart but for me the best songs weren’t on the direct release. I loved „Burned Is The House“ & „In My Stomach“ and those were either on the special edition or only released via ITunes. So I hoped this album would again have some songs that could stay with me for some while and it has!
The only song on this year’s release I had my troubles with (and still have) is „American Scream“. I can’t say why, but that’s the way it is. For me personally the best songs on the album are:
- Dine, Dine My Darling
- Dead On The Floor
- Off The Map
- Piss And Vinegar
but I must admit I clearly like them all except „The American Scream“, which is actually the reason why „This Addiction“ didn’t make the number one position. In probably any other year it would have been first place.
The only thing I didn’t and still don’t understand why „Those Lungs“ & „Kick Rocks“ didn’t make it on the normal album. Those are powerful Dan Andriano songs who seems to be getting better and better with his songwriting. The acoustic versions on the deluxe edition are nice as well, but no must have. The two Dan songs are definitely the reason why everybody should go for the deluxe edition. The album was played a lot in my car this year and even though there were times it was exchanged against other new releases it always found it’s way back into the CD player. I love it.