With a new guitarist and virtually a new sound, the title of this album is as literal as it gets. New Again truly shows the progression and lineup changes Taking Back Sunday have gone through since the release of their first album Tell All Your Friends back in 2002. And the difference between these two albums is quite dramatic. In fact, it is safe to say that Taking Back Sunday is not the same band from the days when you used to blast “Cute Without The ‘e’” over and over again. While the band may not be completely turning its back on the past, it definitely has entered into a new territory. New guitarist and vocalist Matt Fazzi has a lot do with this, stretching out the band’s reach sonically. This “new territory” is closer to the sounds of Jimmy Eat World than the shake-your-head-and-raise-your-fist sound that TBS used to rock out. If you are a fan of more pop-based songwriting, you won’t be let down by this album. However, if you refuse to let go of the old days, you will probably be extremely disappointed. While I enjoyed listening to the album, there wasn’t one song I wanted to listen to over and over again. If anything, I suggest that before you listen to it, you approach it as a new band, because the old days are gone.

- Mary Manchess