Louder Now (CD - 2006)

Personnel: Anton Patzner (violin, viola); Lewis Patzner (cello); Judgement Day (strings); Elena Mascherino (background vocals).

Audio Mixer: Eric Valentine .

Recording information: Barefoot Recording, Los Angeles, CA.

Editor: Matt Radosevich.

Photographer: Brad Filip.

Everybody's favorite emo band is LOUDER NOW. Well, not really, but they're as loud as they ever were, with guitars that triangulate the influences of math rock, 1990s alt rock, and '80s metal, and the kind of heart-on-sleeve vocals that melt emo teens' hearts. Still, there's divergence from the emo template here; witness the poppy falsetto vocal hook in "MakeDamnSure" or the acoustic introspection of "Divine Intervention," or even the twist-and-grind guitars of "My Blue Heaven," which evoke King Crimson-via-Tool. In short, you don't have to be an emo maven to get LOUDER NOW.

Taking Back Sunday's first DVD/CD release has plenty of extras for fans. There are music videos for two of their biggest hits--"Liar (It Takes One To Know One)" and "MakeDamnSure"--as well as blistering live performance footage, band interviews, and some amusing behind-the-scenes tour footage.

On the audio portion of Taking Back Sunday's 2007 DVD/CD set, LOUDER NOW: PART TWO, the Long Island, New York-based emo band presents a live set of angsty alt-rock-inspired tunes. Renowned for its fierce concert performances, the band offers up songs from LOUDER NOW, as well as a few rarities, with the surging "What's It Feel Like to Be a Ghost" standing out as a shining moment. minimize