As an addendum to
Xamot's writeup,
Glenn Porter was replaced by
Derek Grant after the release of
From Here To The Infirmary in
2001.
In 2003, the trio released Good Mourning, a distinctively melodic, more refined album, marking their departure from traditional emunk and allowing Skiba's darker, more poetic nature manifest itself. This is most likely due to Skiba kicking his smoking habit. Good Mourning, in the tradition of Saves the Day, strolled down the path of loving violence and violently loving someone. The album's starter, This Could Be Love, says
"Step one -- slit my throat
Step two -- play in my blood
Step three -- cover me in dirty sheets and run laughing out of the house
Step four -- stop off at Edgebrook Creek and rinse your crimson hands"
Oh, the art of relinquishing oneself to another, happily being abused if only to feel the soft caress of impassioned flesh. A departure from chronicling the epic of waiting for phone calls, straining to hear footsteps outside the door, and pickling one's insides. The outstanding feature of this album is that not all the songs are about breakups! Continental mourns the final loss of a friend to addiction while Donner Party All Night is a rousing recount of The Donner Party.
In 2005, the group released Crimson which does not hold back the sinister contemplations of Skiba and the ministrations of Andriano and demonstrates their musical maturity. Their sound has come quite a way since the fast, rough, and raw riffs of Goddamnit! as Crimson makes good use of the studio, laying tracks over tracks and EQing. Crimson uses a quite a number of effects in comparison to their previous releases but does it well, not drowning out Skiba or Andriano, both of whom have also really found their singing voices and harmonies. The most interesting aspect of the development of this album: "no failed relationships!" (www.alkalinetrio.com) The content varies from good ol' emo to remembering Susan A./Sadie G. of Charles Manson infamy to protesting for the West Memphis Three, proving broken hearts aren't the only reason for living and dying.