ME. – All Good Things Review

When I heard that former members of Taking Back Sunday, Mark O’Connell and Eddie Reyes, were working on new music, I was optimistic that we might be hearing a new era of Taking Back Sunday’s blend of emo-pop post-hardcore. After a few teases and them finally dropping their album, All Good Things, I can confidently say that what the two have come together and created isn’t anything like Taking Back Sunday at all, and that’s a good thing.

Without going into too many details, the two left Taking Back Sunday of their own accord, with both stating that their reasons for leaving were to do with sobriety. It was all pretty quiet from there until, after a decade apart, the two began posting videos on their social media in the studio, and soon thereafter announced they were working on new music together.

If I recall correctly, the band had an open call for vocalists with the intention that the album would feature 10 songs from 10 different vocalists, but after hearing vocalist and guitarist Mike Jensen’s take on their first single, Special, it seems the band struck gold and threw that idea out the window. Finally, to finish off the quartet, O’Connell’s childhood friend Neal Amiruddin joined on Bass. Thus ME. was born.

Now, to touch on my earlier point, for those of you expecting to hear an extension of Taking Back Sunday, I can say with certainty that this isn’t what you’re going to hear. This isn’t a TBS record, far from it, and honestly it’s a good thing. ME. isn’t relying on the long legacy set by O’Connell and Reyes; they’re paving a new path for themselves, and this album is evidence of that.

ME.’s All Good Things is a post-hardcore record that showcases influences from the New Jersey punk scene, with songs dancing gracefully between different styles across the whole record. You’ve got gritty post-hardcore, hard-hitting punk riffs, and reserved alt-rock songs. Throughout the album, I heard similarities to bands like Braid, +44, Box Car Racer, and Sum 41, while also bringing something truly unique to the table.

Instrumentally, O’Connell, Reyes, and the rest of the band have pulled out all the stops and have let their creativity flow. The drums are big, the guitars are powerful, and the bass adds a deep groove that you’d expect from a punk record. There’s a controlled chaos to some of the songs, especially tracks like Nuzzo that feature a chaotic skate punk chorus that just makes you want to jump up and down.

ME., were definitely onto something with bringing Jensen on board; not only are his lyrics great, he knows how to write a vocal hook that sticks in your head. I’ve had the chorus of Grown Man stuck in my head for weeks. He’s also a very capable lyricist, painting pictures of alienation, exploring new love, and being vulnerable in a way that isn’t cheesy but also not overly verbose and complex. There’s an accessibility to the lyricism that lets you connect to the subject while also enjoying the backdrop of noise created by the rest of the band.

All Good Things was a surprise to me more than I thought it would be. It’s instantly catchy and fun to listen to. It doesn’t need to rely on nostalgia or being considered a “super band” for it to work; it just does. Of course, the legacy does help gain attention, but that’s pretty much all O’Connell and Reyes have done with their creds – build a fan base.