Note: This review is for the EP version of Broken Wing. At the time of writing, I did not realize that these tracks were also being released as "bonus" tracks for My Shame Is True. You can find my review of that album here.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Balanced On A Shelf” is track number one, as well as the first Alkaline Trio song to give me chills in a long time. I can't fathom why this wasn't included on [the retail release of] My Shame Is True; it could have easily swapped spots with “Young Lovers” or “Midnight Blue”. The guitar is haunting, delicately tinged with effects, but unlike This Addiction or Crimson, these bells & whistles aren't gratuitous, and they serve to enhance the song. There is also some fabulous harmonizing and vocal work on Matt's end that we haven't really heard in a while. It brings to mind some of the dueling croons from the goddamnit days.
“Pocket Knife” is Matt's only song
on the EP, but it's already made the list for some of my favorite
Skiba lyrics: "She came after me with a pocket knife, stuck here
in a dream, nightmare of my life." This is classic Matt – a
sick metaphor for a love gone wrong, and he didn't dumb anything down
solely for the sake of being morbid. You can once again relate to his
pain without feeling like you paid for a cheap knock-off.
"Broken Wing" is a fantastic
third song. It sounds like something that might have been left on
Dan's studio floor, but then was rescued and rebooted for the Trio.
Musically, it comes off as an unpolished Agony & Irony
cut, but still gives off an old-school Alkaline Trio vibe at
the same time. There is also a hint of Tuesday within the lyrics,
which makes sense. All of the best aspects of Dan are present on this
track; catchy pop-punk, held up by strong vocals and a backbone of
lyrical mastery.
The final track, “Sun Burns”, is
definitely the sleeper of the EP – but in this case, that's like
comparing gold to diamonds. Had it been touched with some different
production, it could fit onto Maybe I'll Catch Fire.
A stretch, I know, but it really has that younger Dan/Trio-style
structure to it, where it's less of verse-chorus-verse, and more
about telling a story.
At the risk of overstating myself,
this EP epitomizes what Alkaline Trio is about. Thoughtful, heartfelt
songs, shaded with love, angst, confusion, and hopefulness. Broken
Wing represents the mature,
natural evolution the band has been working towards, without
sacrificing creativity or sounding too contrived. In every aspect,
this EP is probably some of their best work ever. It proves
that they can progress and evolve without losing their ability to
produce catchy, unique, and identifiable punk rock.
9 out of 10
