Song Of The Week: 5/17/20

Song: "My Blue Heaven"

Artist: Taking Back Sunday

Album: "Live From Orensanz"

Year: 2010

Place Of Origin: Long Island, New York

Years Active: 1999 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"My Blue Heaven" is a song that appears to be about the vocalist's faith in God. Sometimes giving in to absolute belief can be an inner struggle with one's self. Sometimes things happen in the world and in your life that makes you question your faith and sometime the answers you seek aren't in black and white. I find that by the end of the song, the vocalist accepts his faith as true, but I think he is comfortable with questioning it at times. For my song of the week, I chose the live acoustic version of "My Blue Heaven" from Taking Back Sunday's 2010 album "Live From Orensanz". The original version of the song can be found on the band's 2006 album "Louder Now".

TAKING BACK SUNDAY DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2002 - Tell All Your Friends (Victory Records)
* #183 on the Billboard 200
* certified gold

2004 - Where You Want To Be (Victory Records)
* #3 on the Billboard 200
* certified gold

2006 - Louder Now (Warner Bros. Records)
* #2 on the Billboard 200
* certified gold

2007 - Louder Now: Part Two (Warner Bros. Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200

2009 - New Again (Warner Bros. Records)
* #7 on the Billboard 200

2009 - Live From Bamboozle '09 (Warner Bros. Records)
* did not chart on Billboard 200

2010 - Live From Orensanz (Warner Bros. Records)
* did not chart on Billboard 200

2011 - Taking Back Sunday (Warner Bros. Records)
* #17 on the Billboard 200

2013 - TAYF10 Acoustic (Sorry Records)
* did not chart on Billboard 200

2014 - Happiness Is (Hopeless Records)
* #10 on the Billboard 200

2016 - Tidal Wave (Hopeless Records)
* #36 on the Billboard 200

MY THOUGHTS ON TAKING BACK SUNDAY:

Long Island, New York's Taking Back Sunday formed as a band back in 1999. Interestingly enough, one of the founding members of this band was Jesse Lacey, who went on the become the lead singer/songwriter of the band Brand New. Adam Lazarra would join Taking Back Sunday to replace Lacey and has been the lead singer every since. TBS's debut album was a success and ultimately, has sold over 1 million units worldwide. After this album however, guitarist John Nolan and bassist Shaun Cooper wound up leaving the band, replaced by Fred Mascherino and Matt Rubano respectively. This did not hurt the band as their next two albums really wound up being the pinnacle for Taking Back Sunday as far as attained success. 2004's "Where You Want To Be" and 2006's "Louder Now" both achieved gold status as well as being top 3 albums on the Billboard 200 chart. "Louder Now" features the single "MakeDamnSure" which may be the band's most successful single to date. After releasing 2009's "New Again", Mascherino and Rubano decided to part ways with Taking Back Sunday because of songwriting conflicts. There was some tension initially between the bandmates but they have made up since. In 2010, John Nolan (guitar) and Shaun Cooper (bass) returned to Taking Back Sunday marking a reunion of the "Tell All Your Friends" line-up. That line-up has been intact for their next three full length studio albums, 2011's "Taking Back Sunday", 2014's "Happiness Is" and 2016's "Tidal Wave". In 2018, founding member, guitarist Eddie Reyes left the band to try to battle his addiction to alcohol. The band has not ruled out Reyes returning to the line-up when he gets healthy but for now, they will continue as a four piece. The band hasn't laid out any news regarding a new album, but in 2018, they did celebrate their 20th year anniversary with a greatest hits compilation and a tour to support that album. Taking Back Sunday is a top notch melodic rock/alternative rock band. They have some pop punk elements to their music, but I don't really consider them to be a punk rock band. They're a melodic pop rock band is all. I caught wind of Taking Back Sunday early on with their "Tell All Your Friends" album but I really fell in love with the band on their second album "Where You Want To Be". It was after this album that Taking Back Sunday became major label material, signing up with Warner Bros. for three studio albums and three live albums. They're last couple of albums were with Hopeless Records but as of now, the band has announced that they aren't on a label currently. After Taking Back Sunday came out, it seemed like their were a shitload of bands that began coming out that were similar in style. I don't think any of them were quite as talented as Taking Back Sunday. I never found Taking Back Sunday to be over the top pop that's almost begging to get radio play. I think they just write incredible songs that happen to be catchy and hook-laden. When it comes to melodic rock/pop rock/alternative rock, Taking Back Sunday is a top notch band.

SIMILAR ARTISTS:

Senses Fail
The Starting Line
Brand New
The Used
Bayside

TEN TAKING BACK SUNDAY SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. MakeDamnSure
2. Cute Without The 'E' (Cut From The Team)
3. A Decade Under The Influence
4. Your Own Disaster
5. Flicker, Fade
6. This Photograph Is Proof (I Know You Know)
7. Liar (It Takes One To Know One)
8. Faith (When I Let You Down)
9. Tidal Wave
10. Sink Into Me