Oh, Taking Back Sunday. You poor, tormented boys! While the emo/screamo/whatever genre has certainly had no shortage of young men hating the women they loved for not loving them back as much as they needed them to, few bands could spit out such poison as this Long Island quintet. (Though, to be fair, their anguish was also sometimes directed toward their fellow man — lookin’ at you, Brand New’s Jesse Lacey.) Their 2002 album Tell All Your Friends was a pissed-off, guitar-driven pity party, and it seems not too much has changed. This year’s Tidal Wave sounds just as tortured, though a little tired. The songs are less overtly about being disappointed by women, but singer Adam Lazzara still isn’t content — so many of the songs touch on the idea of chasing, running or getting to someone who maybe doesn’t want to be found. In “You Can’t Look Back” he repeats “I’m going to get to you if it takes me all night long,” and “Call Come Running” appears to be about sitting around and hoping a one-night stand will come back, and he’s willing to throw everything else away if she does — “So long as I can call you mine, I’d come running.” I don’t know, guys. Maybe it’s time to stop chasing after everything and take a minute to think about why everything’s running away? MEGAN SELING
Taking Back Sunday w/You Blew It! & Mammoth Indigo
