Taking Back Sunday

As vocalist and guitarist Fred Mascherino announced he was leaving the band in the weeks preceding the release of this, Taking Back Sunday's sixth LP, Notes From The Past serves a solid finish to his tenure as a co-vocalist behind frontman Adam Lazzara. Their harmonies and piled-on countermelodies make tunes like "Your So Last Summer" or "Number Five with a Bullet" eruptive rockers. The record is front-loaded with poppy punk, all of which is trounced by a tune like "Cute without the E," which recalls emo forbears Hot Water Music.