Customer Reviews

Notes From the Past

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This album will have little to offer devoted TBS fans due to the fact that it only has two unreleased songs (the last two). Unless you're a diehard TBS fan, beware paying $5/track (assuming that the value of the songs you already own is 0) unless you just have to have every CD created by the band. If you can, buy the songs as individual tracks.

However, if you have never bought a TBS album and are starting to listen to them, this might be a good starting point because it's a good compilation of the highlights of their first 3 albums.

4 stars because I just love the music, and although seemingly just a repackage to make some cash, this album is not aimed at people that already own their other albums and because this is a great collection of songs.

Just repackaged tunes from albums you probably already have. The two new tracks--the final two on the album--aren't very good, either. Definitely not what I was hoping for.

I am a TBS fan and have been since their first full length, "tell all your friends". If you enjoy any of the music from their albums, you might as well just get the entire album- but not "Notes from the Past," which is half the songs from each first two albums. Taking Back Sunday creates great albums. They have never been a band to put a cd out with some genuine songs and a couple of singles to hit the radio. All their albums are full of songs that belong on the album. The songs they put on this one aren't even the best ones off those two albums.
After "Tell All Your Friends," "Where You Want to Be" was a great follow up. A great concept album that has a slightly different sound, more mature with just as much emotion. Produced with more techniques in playing and collaborating as well as more styles of singing the lyrics. They are a little more aware of the ranges they can reach and show a unique style, catchy enough to catch on to.

If you'd like to get a good mix of songs from different albums, get "Louder Now Part 2". Some people tend to stay away from live albums since they don't sound nearly as clean or clear as their studio songs but the sound production is great for that album and the choice of songs gives you the great range of energy Taking Back Sunday represents. You also get a DVD to see for yourself that they can really play a live show that accurately.


The third album "Louder Now" opened the eyes of the fans to show how much energy they can put into Rock music. It's almost like they were letting you relax while listening to their previous concept albums and then suddenly woke you up with impressive, faster, riffs and when the pace isn't too fast, they'll pickup and drop the whole mood of the song with such energy. This heavier sound you do not get in "Notes From the Past". Which brings the point that an album of greatest hits was released way too early for a band who developed through their albums so much.

Their latest release "New Again" was a wonderful mix of all the styles they learned to play but at the same time, fit to one apparent vibe. Again, a great concept album. A perfect definition of everything they have picked up to become the band they are today. "Notes From the Past" is too far from this...

This has all the best of the old. Nothing New. If you bought one of the early editions of Tell All Your Friends you probably didn't get The Ballad of Sal Villanueva or Your Own Disaster. Worth it as a gift or for the truly dedicated.

Yes this is just a way for Victory Records to capitalize on TBS' fame but at the same time, this album contains some of TBS' best work. Old TBS is way better than the MTV TBS and those of you complaining that there are no Louder Now tracks on the album should be happy that this CD contains older tracks. My guess is that many current TBS fans heard their new stuff on the radio or MTV but haven't heard their older, better stuff. You should thank Victory for enlightening you.

this CD is obviously for people who haven't heard much of TBS but want to explore them without spending too much money. that's awesome how they have your own disaster and the ballad of sal villanueva, two very old classic tbs songs. now if they released an actual CD from when antonio and jesse were in the band that'd just be sweet.

you're down
for sellin me out
while i play dumb
its cool cuz i let you
thought i'd never catch you
you'd say we're only friends
yeah real good friends i bet i bet...

While the songs on the CD are great for TBS fans, beware: There's nothing new to hear here. In fact, all of the songs are album versions from Tell All Your Friends, Louder Now, etc. The last two songs are B-sides, but have been released previously. Your Own Disaster (The "hey lush, have fun, it's the weekend" song) was on a Warped Tour disc in 2004 or so, and the Ballad of Sal Villenueva ("It's not that I don't trust you, I just know what you've been up to"), well, that's just old news.

Looks like Victory Records really just wants more money.

While this may be a good introduction to TBS's first two albums, one would be better off buying those two albums instead of this one. The first two records I would give four stars to each.Everything on this album except the last song have already been released on the first two records

I have an obsession with Taking Back Sunday that extends to an unhealthy extent, sure, and when I saw that they had a "new" cd out, I thoroughly flipped out. No, I haven't purchased it, yet I did assemble the songs from previous albums into this playlist. It flows nicely but um, communities on livejournal have been circulating the two "new" songs for well over a year, probably closer to two. I'm sure it's nice to have an unclouded version of "Ballad" or "Your Own Disaster," but first I reccomend you do a little browsing into the live versions of these songs, which are the proclaimed "classics" that have turned my ears off to the new versions.
This album is a good introductory course to a good band, but old fans who have been following since the "Summer Stars," Anthony-cannot-sing era were/are a little disappointed.
That's what happens when you lose Fred Mascherino, kids.

All of these songs have been previously released. The songs are great, but this is just Victory Records trying to make money from TBS's fame that came with their first major release. There's nothing new here. If you don't have the older albums, I recommend buying them instead of this. The first album is exceptional. As for the last song, you can buy it separately through iTunes because that's the easiest way to get it, other than stealing it, of course (which you shouldn't do if you want to support the band!).