September Never Stays This Cold Where I Come From And You Know

So while going through bands I wanted to share about, I realized that I had yet to write a post about one of my favorite bands of all time. Taking Back Sunday – one of the first few bands that molded my music tastes to what it is right now. Without any hesitation, I can name my favorite song off each album and probably recite the lyrics to half of their discography. These guys have been monumental in influencing my music. Sure, I’m not as creative as Fred/John/Matt/Eddie when it comes to guitar but I try (haha). Their heart on sleeve lyrics were what sold me to this band, as well as their signature dual-vocals. Think Les Miserables with electric guitars. They’ve also inspired countless handles and blog titles worldwide. Teenage poetry for sure.

I was first introduced to this band by a friend who found them on an issue of Alternative Press. It was either Cute Without The E (Cut From The Team) or There’s No I In Team. No other band I had listened to before had two vocalists complimenting each other so well, I was blown away instantly. I immediately went online to look for all their other songs. I remember during that time, it was also around the release of their second full-length – Where You Want To Be (which I got a friend to buy for me from Singapore) – the CD didn’t leave my car’s player for months.

If there’s a band that can do no wrong, it has to be these guys. Despite their struggles with lineup changes and evolving sound, Taking Back Sunday retained my love and admiration. Instead of being upset with their changing styles, I embraced it instead. I can’t say why, but hey – good music is good music and these guys definitely know what they’re doing. They have continued putting out quality releases until now and I can’t wait to hear what else they have in store for us. I hope they continue being a band forever.

I’ve seen them live twice – once in Singapore and once in KL, and will probably continue to go to their shows if they ever come back. They know how to work the crowd and have had solid sets each time. It also doesn’t hurt that Adam is probably one of the most charismatic front men to ever grace the stage. Also, based on the antics on their DVDs, they seem like such fun guys to hang around with.

I’d put their whole catalog as recommended listening, but that would be too easy. Here’s a list of my essential Taking Back Sunday songs:

Taking Back Sunday – Spin