Matt Skiba and The Sekrets - Babylon: One Blogger's Opinion

Let's face it. After 2003's classic Good Mourning, The Alkaline Trio became too polished and frankly pretty boring. I think even the band realized this when their last album was just rerecorded and acoustic versions of their older songs.

When I accidentally ran across Babylon, the new album by The Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba's new solo band The Sekrets, keeping my expectation low I decided to give it a listen. Never really being a big fan of the songs bassist Dan Adriano sang on the Alkaline Trio albums, maybe Matt Skiba vocals alone on Babylon may actually be a plus.

The very powerful and very catchy "Voices" leads off the album. It's not too much different from the louder ones on the last few Alkaline Trio albums but it does have a little extra "oomph" to it. There is an (almost) annoying keyboard that probably could have been left out. Thankfully the keyboard sits out the next song. "All Fall Down", with it very strong full sound, could easily fit right in on the Some Kind Of Wonderful, Pretty In Pink or any other John Hughes movie soundtrack.

"Luciferean Dreams" tries to take the place of one of those Dan Adriano Alkaline Trio tracks. It's more laid back then Matt's usual scorchers. The songs title gives us this album's first taste of The Alkaline Trio's continuing "horror" lyrics and themes they first adopted years ago.The theme can also be heard in the lyrics to "Death of Joy" ("This crimson dripping off these hands of mine from all the time I've killed"), "You" ("Dreams of demons") and a few more places sprinkled throughout the album. I was kind of hoping Matt would skip the whole "horror" theme on this one...

"Haven't You" is a very New Wave sounding slower song. The keyboard is back and even attempts to hog the spotlight by show off with random noises here and there. The song does take off for the last chorus bringing back memories of "Continental", my favorite Alkaline Trio song. If you would like to check out this song, along with Babylon's "How the Hell Did We Get Here" and "Angel of Deaf" in their early stages, check out Matt's "Demos" collection from last year.

"You" is a fast moving song. In my opinion this is the best song on the record. Matt's voice takes on an evil tone. The pesky keyboard player decides to switch to a real piano and what do you know, it works! When before the last chorus Matt sings "Dance with me, dance with me" in a very sinister voice, I like to think he is paying tribute to T.S.O.L.'s classic 1981 horror/goth punk album of the same name.

For "Olivia" Matt returns to the friendlier voice. The song possesses a classic hook Alkaline Trio chorus which has had me singing along on my walk home from the train for the last two weeks. "Falling Like Rain" starts off with some scary Dark wave dance keyboard but the song really takes off with an ultra catchy chorus. Soon the keyboards returns but don't be scared, now they are not so dark!

By the time the album reached "How Did We Get Here" at track 9, I am actually missing those Dan Adriano songs that I used to fast forward through. The songs is very good. Powerful and filled with hooks, plus the keyboard is not so up front this time. But still this song made me realize Matt solo may have been better suited at just an EP's length.

The play on words titled "Angel of Deaf" closes out the album. Although it is a good song I feel Matt may be trying a little too hard to repeat "Blue in the Face", the awesome song that closed out Good Mourning eight years ago.

Overall Babylon is a very good album. It has been playing over and over again in my house for weeks. Even though there are about six of the ten songs that  really stand out, "You" and "Voices" stand out just a little further, ALL ten of the songs are pretty much better than anything Matt's main band has released in recent years. Horror themed an all

                      

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