From Here to Infirmary

For its first five years together, Alkaline Trio was an extremely prolific and consistent band with a full-length coming out almost yearly, along with innumerable split 7"s and EPs. So it's no surprise that a slump was coming, and it arrived in the form of the band's third full-length, From Here to Infirmary. After moving from the garage-based operation Asian Man Records to indie giant Vagrant, the Trio -- with dollar signs in its eyes -- assumed a lighter, more mainstream sound. And though the new emphasis on melody expanded the band's fan base, it really doesn't complement Matt Skiba and Dan Andriano's foul-mouthed poetry as well as their earlier abrasive sound. Adding to the disappointment is that this is the first Alkaline Trio release to have any filler, as many of the songs seem painfully tossed off (and probably were, as the band has been so prolific). So while particular songs, like "Steamer Trunk" or "Crawl," are on par with the band's earlier material, From Here to Infirmary is a definite low point in Alkaline Trio's catalog.