Trio's "Agony" makes for good "Irony"

"Here it is again yet it stings like the first time." The opening words from the opening track of Agony and Irony, the major label debut from The Alkaline Trio. I think Matt Skiba might be trying to tell us something.
Like the previous release Crimson, and its predecessor Good Mourning, The Trio take a step away from their Asian Man roots and a step towards a more radio (cough, My Chem, cough) friendly sound. And it's not that Good Mourning was a bad album, or that Crimson was that bad, but that don't mean they didn't sting. And I was really excited for this album. Really excited. Hell, Skiba even ditched the eye make-up. Things had to be looking up. To add to that, in between Crimson and Agony, The Trio released a collection of b-sides, Remains, which was outstanding. Maybe I should have read into the whole "collection of b-sides" thing's a little more carefully.
For Agony and Irony The Trio abandoned blink-182 famous Jerry Finn and Chicago's (the city, not the band) Matt Allison, and brought in Josh Abraham, of Crazy Town, Elliot Yamin and Velvet Revolver fame. The difference is remarkable, as songs are clearer and cleaner. That's not necessarily a good thing.
Overall, the album comes off as overproduced, and even a bit forced. Either that or a collection of songs that didn't make the Crimson cut.
The opening track "Calling All Skeletons," which I alluded to earlier, is actually good track. Complete with hand clap's and signature Dan Andriano whoa's, it makes for a catchy, fun listen. The Trio are at their best when they do that. "Help Me," the next track, and the first single, picks up right where "Calling All Skeletons" leaves off. Even more catchy, even more fun. Following is "In Vein" which appeared along side "Help Me" on the three song iTunes only Agony and Irony EP that was released a couple months before the actual album (yet another reason I was excited.) It also got some airplay on an episode of "The Hills" in one of the most ridiculous, infuriating, awkward moments I've ever seen on television. Do yourself a favor and youtube it. I don't think Lo and LC were really feeling it (inside, I smile a little.) Again it's catchy, but doesn't have the same redeeming quality the previous two do. So far so good, right?
The album takes a nosedive from here. "Over and Out," a song about suicide (surprise, surprise) teeders on awful. Skiba sounds uninterested, and gives maybe his worst vocal performance ever. The chorus bails it out a bit, but it's by no mean a good song. Unfortunately fans of My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy will eat it up. As will they "Do You Wanna Know" which I would put money on being the next single. Complete with falsettos, Dan croons his way through a song that would be half way decent if it were on an All-American Rejects album. Actually, to be honest, it sounds like a b-side to My Chem's Black Parade (are you detecting a pattern yet?) But by far, the worst track is "Live Young, Die Fast." To quote my .orgcore friends, "Words cannot express how much f*** this song." I don't even know what they were even trying to do with this song, or where it was going. If "Over and Out" teeders on awful, "Live Young" pushed it off the edge. Honestly, I about lost all hope for this album at this point.
Agony and Ivory (I keep wanting to type Ebony and Ivory) picks up a bit from here. "Love Love, Kiss Kiss" which suffers from horrible-song-title-itis, is that typical slow, cheesy, but damn catchy Dan love song that appears on every album. The last three songs feel like Crimson b-sides, and are actually better than some of the garbage that actually made the album. Especially "Lost and Rendered."
The deluxe version of the album comes with six extra tracks. Five of which are acoustic versions of album tracks, highlighted by "Lost and Rendered" and a stripped down "Into the Night" sung by Dan (Skiba sings the album version.) There's even an acoustic version of an old favorite, "Maybe I'll Catch Fire." Of course, though, "Over and Out" and "Live Young, Die Fast" are included as well. But the one exclusive bonus track, "Burned is this House," is the best song on the entire album. It would make sense that the b-side is the best song on the album, wouldn't it? That's the Trio way.
So what do I think of Agony and Ivory? The same thing I thought about Crimson, and the same thing I thought about Good Mourning: I don't hate it, but I don't think it's great. And that, Matt Skiba, still stings like the first time.