Taking Back Sunday: Next Steps

Beyond their high-powered hooks, Taking Back Sunday take emo to its most intimate limits. The sludgy stomp of "What's It Feel Like to Be a Ghost?" betrays a messy flirtation, while Adam Lazzara's shouty snarls expose his nakedness on "Great Romances of the 20th Century." Even as the band have matured—with the glossy stadium rock of tracks like "All Excess" and "Better Homes and Gardens"—their hearts remain firmly on their sleeves.