Who said that punk is dead, baby? Truth to be told, to some extent it is, because what would be considered punk today is pigeonholed as "alternative music" and that does it no justice at all (or, alas, into "fake punk" like Good Charlotte and other ridiculous bands I am not a fan of). Since forming in 1994, The Ataris has always been one of the most heartfelt and mature alternative rock groups around. Its last album, released on February 20 and titled "Welcome to the Night," is a knockout.
The Ataris' trademarks are the passionate deep vocals of frontman Kristopher Roe, an intense touring schedule (here is a group that always puts the priority on going live instead of getting bogged down in a studio), and clever and personal storytelling in their lyrics, usually based on failed relationships, guilt, and so on. "Welcome to the Night" comes after two full years of waiting due to the internal conflicts in the group and the change of the label.
The band features a new lineup: Shane Chickeles on drums, Sean Hansen on the bass, Angus Cooke on the cello, Bob Hoag on keyboards, and Paul Carabello on the guitar. After Columbia Records fell apart last year, the boys went on their own and created a label called "Isola Records," which is associated with RED Distribution. After several breakups due to artistic differences and a streak of bad luck, The Ataris is on its feet again in better shape than ever before.
If its fourth album, "So Long Astoria," which went on to become four times platinum, was the band's most conventional rock record and the main reason for its popularity, "Welcome To the Night" returns to the band's roots: more pessimistic, less mainstream, more abstract and less straightforward. It most closely resembles the band's third release "The End is Forever," hoping to rely on the mainstream success of the last album to reach a wider audience.
The first single, "Not Capable of Love," is indeed the most powerful song in the album. It is a fast, neurotic, and passionate track that at the same time succeeds to be very melodic with Roe's characteristic vocals.
The album creates a surreal feeling because the songs are very much alike, and it runs like a symphony instead of different tracks. Due to this dreamy context, it's not a party album. Just play it in your ride while you are alone and feeling melancholic. The cello adds a certain depth and comes in in some rather unexpected ways. Another asset of the album is the lyrics?most of them are amazing. This is far from the commercial mainstream punk music you see on MTV. This may be a result of the newly gained independence from the band's old label or from the fresh influences of the new members. If, by any chance, someone mistook The Ataris for being the kind of band that sold out in its last album, then "Night" will quickly prove him wrong. Other goodies among the 13 tracks are "Connections are More Dangerous Than Lies" and "When All Else Fails it Fails."
All in all, this is a wonderfully conceived album, which will inspire many old fans and will win some new ones. It also rejuvenates a style strangled by a lack of creativity and an oversupply of new albums with little value each year.