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Agony & Irony
by Alkaline Trio

Alkaline Trio reviews
Critic Score
Metascore: 70 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
7.8 out of 10
based on 10 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 16 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album

The latest album for the punk rock trio from Illinois was produced by Josh Abraham.

LABEL: Sony
RELEASE DATE: 01 July 2008
DISCS: 1 disc
GENRE(S): Rock, Punk

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

83
The Onion (A.V. Club)
Once again, the Trio lives up to expectations--but it's easy to wonder how much longer that will cut it.
Read Full Review
80
The New York Times
Their sound is potent in its simplicity.
Read Full Review
70
All Music Guide
The album is still enjoyable and damn catchy in spots — but knowing as much as we do about this talented trio, it seems like it could have been so much better.
Read Full Review
70
Billboard
These guys seem comfortable with the added sheen--a few tracks could be the Killers covering the Misfits--but Skiba's tunes aren't quite as memorable as those on earlier Alkaline Trio discs, which blunts the overall effect.
Read Full Review
70
Rolling Stone
There's enough gallows humor and goth aggression to get the faithful swaying, but these guys won't be selling out arenas anytime soon.
Read Full Review
60
Spin
After five dark, swift albums, they tread fretfully toward maturity and make it seem like walking into the light. [July 2008, p.92]
Read Full Review
60
Blender
These gothed-out Chicago yeomen relish a catoonishly dark lyric and if they eke new inspiration out of anything on their sixth studio album--which bounds along, as though bunny-powered, on a pop-punk beat--it's war. [July 2008, p.70]
60
Alternative Press
The ominous charm that had fans nose over tail is not completely lost in Agony & Irony. [Aug 2008, p.156]
60
Q Magazine
Matt Skiba's bitter lyrics still have an impressive sting, and with My Chemical Romance on hiatus, his misanthropy may yet secure a broader audience. [Aug 2008, p.135]
60
Hot Press
Perennial underachievers once again fall short of the mark.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now! The average user rating for this album is 7.8 (out of 10) based on 16 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Harry B gave it a9:
This is less like Crimson, more like their older work, but with a whole new element involved as well. I really like it!

Mislav gave it a9:
Alkaline Trio always have great harmonies and clever lyrics, plus two good singers. A few songs on here feel a bit like filler ("Over And Out," "Live Young, Die Fast," "Lost and Rendered"), but for the most part they're all pleasant to listen to if not lots of fun. My biggest BEEF with this CD is how short it is.

John H. gave it a10:
Great album. Pure Class. Im never gonna turn it off.

Malfuncti0n lethal gave it an8:
Not too bad a cd. they have had some better albums in the past, but this one is in no way bad. it is, however, a bit more mainstream in its sound. my favorite track is probably the first one, "calling all skeletons," a great opening song to an album. i think this album is going to be getting a lot of listening from me regardless. I also recently discovered Heavens, the singer from alkaline trio's side project. also some good stuff, check it out.

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