Alkaline Trio detail “Agony and Irony”

Contributed by andburntherest. Posted by aubin on Monday, April 7, 2008 at 12:00 PM (EDT)

Alkaline Trio have announced the title and track listing for their upcoming Epic Records debut. The record is titled Agony and Irony and is due out July 01, 2008. It is their first studio album since 2005's Crimson.

In the time since their previous record the band signed to V2 Music, which shortly afterwards was shutdown, landing the act at major label Epic Records (which falls under the Sony-BMG umbrella). In the past few years the popular act released a rarities and b-sides compilation via Vagrant titled Remains and frontman Matt Skiba performed in the duo Heavens. Last month, the band also released a deluxe reissue of their debut album, Goddamnit.

Calling All Skeletons
Help Me
In Vein
Over and Out
I Found Away
Live Young, Die Fast
Love Love Kiss Kiss
Lost and Rendered
Ruin It
Into the Night

Bands in this story

Alkaline Trio

Heavens

Sony Music Entertainment (94 comments)

Please login or register to post comments.What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?

Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

MattRamone (April 7, 2008)

Well, at least they didn't call it Church and Destroy.

And hey, at ten tracks, it can't have that muchc rap on it. Can it?

MattRamone (April 7, 2008)

*much crap

baldsteve (April 7, 2008)

10 tracks? I thought they had like 30+ demos, I hope they crank out a bunch of b-sides, those always seem to be stellar.

MattRamone (April 7, 2008)

Yeah, if they annouced "Trio doing 13 comp appearances this summer" I would be super stoked. Their rarities always seem to have more grit and fire to 'em.

I wish they would drop the spooky shit and the Fallout Boy production/mixing and do another record with Matt Alison.

The split they did with One Man Army in the midst of the goth phase was a breath of fresh air. It was dark lyrically, yeah, but it was full of fire and sounded like punk music.

douglas_is_rad (April 7, 2008)

Well, why release a double album when you can just release 3 separate albums and make more money? Or loose money, I don't know how the music business works these days.

Dante3000 (rich) (April 7, 2008)

Judging by the amount of worthless "Skits" that occupy rap music, your first statement may also be correct.
-Dante

MattRamone (April 7, 2008)

how bad would the Trio's skits be these days?

eazyd (April 7, 2008)

shut up you fat bastard. i have listened to this album and it is very good a+ sexy. track 7 is best, it is about tiger woods.

MattRamone (April 7, 2008)

There have been some pretty bad trolls here, but you suck the most at it.

eazyd (April 7, 2008)

i am not a troll, i am just expressing opinions, just because you dont agree doesnt mean you have to call me a troll. you on the other hand would have to be the most annoyinh unfunniest gayest cunt around here. why do you feel the need to post 30+ comments in every fuckin article. even your stupid name makes me want to punch shit. fuck off me fat cunt

MattRamone (April 7, 2008)

All this and racist too! Best your mom smiles when she thinks about you.

eazyd (April 7, 2008)

god knows your momma does. im not racist either bitch, unless you are sri lankan or somethin ... in which case i hate sri lankans

MattRamone (April 7, 2008)

Either you're racist or you were trolling the Mike Park thread yesterday. Either way you're a dipshit.

eazyd (April 7, 2008)

i dont even knwo what the fuck you mean by trolling. all i said was he needs to cook me some fuckin sushi cause he looks like the cunts who make my sushi - asians or whateva you call it. im finished here - peace out dick.

notfeelingcreative (April 7, 2008)

You're a racist who doesn't even realize he's racist, that's the worst kind!

eazyd (April 7, 2008)

you're a moron who doesn't realise he's a woman trapped in the body of a fat tibetan. THAT'S the worst kind

notfeelingcreative (April 7, 2008)

That was kind of funny, I chuckled but not for long, I give a 4.

fallingupwards84 (April 7, 2008)

you realize you're just encouraging him, right?

FranklinStein (April 7, 2008)

what would we do without your comment?

ASLVN (April 7, 2008)

tiger woods is so punk rock.

AnarchyPants (April 7, 2008)

Only 10 tracks???

No room for filler....

softcoreseizure (April 7, 2008)

Oh, they managed a song or two of filler on Maybe I'll Catch Fire.

...

Okay, I just looked at the track listing for that album and there really isn't any filler. Maybe half a song combined. I'm dumb.

officialjose (April 7, 2008)

They played at The Catalyst in Santa Cruz last night. I heard Help Me, it's pretty good. Matt said he wrote it after watching Control (which is about Joy Division). Also I think the intro song he did for the show was calling all skeletons, 'cause no one seemed to recognize it. It looks like it's shaping up to be a great album. & Derek's drumming is phenomenal as always.

dropkicksoul (April 7, 2008)

10 tracks? New Wave is stoked!

AnarchyPants (April 7, 2008)

Here is a taste of what to expect from the album:

1.Skeletons looking for the crest of a new wave
2. Help me up the cuts
3. Thrash in vein
4. Over and white out
5. Stop, I found away
6. Live young on the FM waves
7. Piss and Vinegar x 4
8. Americans lost and rendered
9. Animal it
10. Into the ocean night

Dante3000 (rich) (April 7, 2008)

Part of me wants to congratulate you for that post. Part of me wants to tell you to stop wasting time.
Then part of me wants a bagel.
-Dante

I_Rock_Hard (April 7, 2008)

and ALL of me wants you to shut the fuck up

MattRamone (April 7, 2008)

Shut up, I_Wank_Hard

Dante3000 (rich) (April 7, 2008)

I believe you mean "olive me".
-Dante

OzmanX (April 7, 2008)

Hey! No bagel, no bagel, no bagel

DefianceOhioEqualsLove (April 7, 2008)

Hahahahahahahahaha

eazyd (April 7, 2008)

and the album would be called new agony and irony wave hahahahahahahha lol. genisu

MattRamone (April 7, 2008)

Comment of the day!

lintsay (April 7, 2008)

you win.

SierraNevada (April 7, 2008)

Its starting to sound like Matt Skiba will be getting the Tom Gabel treatment on this sight. That makes me happy, I miss me some good gabel jokes.

Grantino (April 7, 2008)

if its better than crimson, i think ill be fine.

RyanOnTheMBTA (April 7, 2008)

ehhh not excited.

in vein sounds like shit.

MattRamone (April 7, 2008)

Yeah, did they get Hawthorne Heights to mix it?

Angiepants (April 7, 2008)

Ugh. :(

MattRamone (April 7, 2008)

Go listen to Phish, hippie.

fallingupwards84 (April 7, 2008)

those song titles are horrible... Calling All Skeletons? this band has become a parody of itself

oh and it looks like ten-track albums are the hot thing these days

Banal242 (April 7, 2008)

I don't think it's that bad, yet.

It's not like they are the Nekromantix or something.

fallingupwards84 (April 7, 2008)

yet... but its close.
love the music but the whole schtick they pull is tiresome and cliche... Hot Topic is stoked

T-BOMB (June 15, 2008)

you havent even heard the song, what the fuck do you know?!?
they've had other albums that were only ten songs, and their most popular, Goddamnit, had 11. 10 songs is not that uncommon. its better that 6 songs like most classic rock band have.

ludwigg (April 7, 2008)

1) In Vein sounds like shit.

2) I will have to wait until I see the artwork before making a decision about the feeling of the record. If it's all dark and deathy, I will just be done with it. Move on, I'm bored with this shit.

3) I really hoped that they would have abandoned the death themes, as now it's becoming pathetic. I wish they would just make good music without any gimmicks. It's getting really old, and so are they.

4) It's going to get to a point where there will be no new direction that this band will be able to go in. Musically I wish they would back pedal a little. Thematically, I wish they would just drop the bullshit and move one. I think they are going to get to a point where they will only be able to break up or go "normal."

T-BOMB (June 15, 2008)

1) In Vein is a great song

2) the album cover is like all the other Trio album covers, why would you expect something all that different?

3)they do make good music, and if thats all you care about then quit focusing on their "themes" and just listen to the music.

ludwigg (April 7, 2008)

Is Agony and Irony their attempt at being a "clever" play on Ebony and Ivory???

LAME!!!!

fallingupwards84 (April 7, 2008)

i doubt it, but if thats true then i've lost all respect for this band

CrotchRot (April 7, 2008)

exactly what i thought

ludwigg (April 7, 2008)

ha, if it really is, then that's really so dumb. i can see them in some stupid studio video update....

"well, uhhh, agony and irony is a play on ebony and ivory....and uhhhh, i mean, you know it's like dark and light at the same time, but so perfect balance and uhhh that's our music but uhhh yeah, so it's like a tribute to that but i mean, sooo it's just really a metaphor about how everything is changing and i mean yeah...."

T-BOMB (June 15, 2008)

or maybe its a title that they liked and turned out reflecting on how recording the album went like THEY SAID! pay attention and dont make stupid comments just because 2 titles are kind of similar.

ludwigg (April 7, 2008)

The titles of Alkaline Trio's albums and songs are on par with those of R.L. Stine's Goosebumps series....they just keep getting worse and worse and start becoming painfully stupid.

iamnormie (April 7, 2008)

Much like Matt Skiba's songs?

ludwigg (April 7, 2008)

well...matt skiba's songs would be grouped as Alk3 songs. so.

MattRamone (April 7, 2008)

Hey-oooooooo!

iamnormie (April 7, 2008)

Let me tell you what this cd will sound like.

Each Matt song will sound remarkably like an old Matt alkaline trio song except no where near as good.

Each Dan song will sound like a Smoking Popes song except no where near as good.

Catching a pattern? Good.

ArianeIsEatingADanish (April 7, 2008)

As apparently the last person who actually still likes Alkaline Trio, (Crimson was good, although not great and not as maaagically delicious as Goddammit) I guess there is only one course of action open to me. To stop reading the comments accompanying punknews.org's reports on this band, clap my hands over my ears and sing at the top of my lungs to block out all noise.

fallingupwards84 (April 7, 2008)

and to block out the new album

AnarchyPants (April 7, 2008)

and look for the crest of a new wave.

Banal242 (April 7, 2008)

So what's worse:

Disappointing your fans in one fell swoop ala Against Me!

or

Disappointing your fans slowing and with each passing album like Alkaline Trio?

Dante3000 (rich) (April 7, 2008)

Ticket sales would point to the former.
-Dante

T-BOMB (June 15, 2008)

just because they're disappointing you doesn't mean they're disappointing their fans.

deadbug (April 7, 2008)

Saw them at the Bamboozle in Irvine, they were good.

Klyph14 (April 7, 2008)

Maybe I'll Catch Fire, arguably their second best record, has only 10 tracks. I enjoy the short and sweet approach for an album and then a slow trickle of b-sides after it's release. Can't wait for July 1st.

joeydevil (April 7, 2008)

I am suprised it took this long for someone to post this.

SonnySix (April 7, 2008)

Hopefully they'll have something cool for the people at the free show tonight.

ArtieFufkin (April 7, 2008)

Anyone go to the Catalyst show last night? Of course it was sold out so I couldn't go, and refused to pay the $50 off Craigslist. C'mon Trio - play bigger venues or somethin'. Jusy wanted to get a review - and for Am Steel too

AndBurnTheRest (April 7, 2008)

The show was excellent. AmSteel played about 12 songs...maybe 5 old ones and 7 off of destroy their future. Sons of Avarice was stellar as was old croy road, to the sea, speak oh the heart, smile on me and mean streak.

officialjose (April 7, 2008)

I went. American Steel was great, most of the crowd didn't get into it, though. The song of the night was definitely Mean Streak.

Alkaline Trio was amazing. Derek's drumming was superb. & they just seemed to be having a good time, cracking jokes & stuff. Their set consisted of a couple songs off of each album. Not focusing on anything in particular. & they didn't have a backing guitarist or anything, so they were truly playing as a trio, unlike during their tours for Crimson.

Smaller venues are best! & the people in line behind me sold their ticket for $0. That's right, they gave it way for free. Aparently a "friend" of theirs decided not to go, leaving them with a ticket that he didn't want to pay for, but they decided to charge him for it anyway & give a lucky bastard a free ticket.

ArtieFufkin (April 9, 2008)

I should have driven over the hill and tried to get one anyway somehow. Sounds like a fun show. Some bitch on Craigslist said she would sell me a pair at face value, only to get the "oh, I already sold them" the next day. Women.

BluthCo (April 7, 2008)

I like this band, but their "dark" puns have gotten pretty old by now.

these_parks_are_lakes (April 7, 2008)

bingo

blue_drink (April 7, 2008)

I don't know...

ludwigg (April 7, 2008)

all alk3 songs from the past 3 records have been both agonizing and ironic, both in song quality and spooky themes, so this is a totally fitting title.

mikexdude (April 7, 2008)

I think I'm the only one who's enjoyed all of their records.

jacknife737 (April 7, 2008)

nah, i've yet to be disappointed by these guys

necktattoo (April 7, 2008)

i like em all. a lot of people do i'm sure

little15 (April 7, 2008)

Your not the only one. I've loved these guys since I first heard them and I can't wait to hear the new record.

spoon_of_grimbo (April 7, 2008)

i like 'em all. FHTI is probably the best, but they're all good shit.

superskabro (April 7, 2008)

I liked all of their records a lot. I just hope Jerry Finn doesn't touch this record. "Crimson" was pretty damn good, but you just had to hear it live to believe it. The production was so silly. Not cool.

monkeykong (April 7, 2008)

Bands generally get paid for 10 songs on an album.

The internet will never change.

monkeykong (April 7, 2008)

Putting more on is up to the band/ A&R.
(You know what I mean)

shaunheintz (April 7, 2008)

it's funny, most of the people who are talking shit about alkaline or against me will either a) buy the record and talk shit on punknews,org or b) pirate the record and talk shit on punknews.org the thing they both have in common however, is that they keep listening to these bands and pulling good tunes out of them. I still enjoy alkaline trio and I still enjoy Against Me!

it's nice to see that people can be so judgmental by only a track listing and one song.

like it or not, every band cannot be hot water music, have beards,wear flannel, and talk about hard times.

imagine that.

ludwigg (April 7, 2008)

i think you're way off base with your comment. no one is asking for them to be Hot Water Music, (such an obscure statement to make).

people that are making a judgement are doing so because they...

1) see the same old-same old spooky death theme happening on yet another album, and it's getting really old and boring and redundant and played out and predictable and FUCKING STUPID!

2) have heard the underwhelmingly terrible song, In Vein, and are hoping the rest of the album isn't as bad.

3) are wishing that this cd isn't crimson #2.

Basically, some people had higher hopes for this album, and it is shaping up to be just another average Alk3 release, which seem to be getting worse and worse each time. So, yes, people can defintely make a judgement on one song...that's actually the point of the advance release, to give the listener a reason to get excited or formulate some idea of what to expect, which in this case seems to be something horrible.

I am all for bands progressing. I would hope that Alk3 would try to get better and better and not travel in reverse and don't expect them to put out another Goddamnit. I hope that they would do better. I actually liked New Wave, and have no problems with Against Me! before, now or in the future.

I most defintely will bash In Vein "on punknews.org." In my opinion it's a bad song. I probably won't buy the record. I hate CD's. So I will probably find the mp3's. If at that point I feel that it sucks as much as In Vein, then yes, I will bash it "on punknews.org." If I like 6 out of 10 songs, I will say that too "on punkews.org."

You're a strange one.

AndBurnTheRest (April 7, 2008)

I totally rock for going to the show last night and submitting this.

conebone69 (April 7, 2008)

Count Chocula is stoked

mattho (April 7, 2008)

I enjoy this band.

alkalinetravis (April 7, 2008)

Bah, the hell with the 19 year old punk rock knowitalls, the new Against Me! was their best album. And while I'm at it, the Sex Pistols were far and away the worst band ever. Look forward to hearing from you kids.

FranklinStein (April 7, 2008)

Beat Off!

alkalinetravis (April 8, 2008)

What a fantastically well thought out reply. You get a cookie.

Dudley_Shale (April 7, 2008)

Heres a link to a video from Bamboozle Left! the other night of the Alkaline Trio preforming "Help Me". I'm really digging this.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=QJzMirYKwIM

14theroad (April 7, 2008)

Agreed.

14theroad (April 8, 2008)

"Help Me" just went up on their myspace!

ToddRundgren (April 8, 2008)

"Help Me" is a fucking terrible song. I couldn't even get through all of it. Enough auto-tune on Matt's vocals, it sounds like Cher. This band has become a joke. At first the whole "dark" shit wasnt even really a gimmick or a shtick it was just how their lyrics turned out, and not all of them were all that dark. Now they are just trying too hard and as someone said, are a parody of themselves.

They are either going to sink or swim with this album. This seems to be their last attempt at trying to really breakthrough, they have always been on the cusp. How this shit sounds I think they will sink right to the bottom.