Asian Man Records – Release Date: 8/10/10

Demos, as one might plausibly surmise, is not a traditional solo album in that it was self-recorded by Alkaline Trio singer/guitarist Matt Skiba on his own laptop. What this recording lacks in terms of studio polish is more than made up for by the insight it provides fans as to how Skiba’s song ideas originate. At its highest points, Demos sounds like a behind-the-scenes preview of what could someday become future Alkaline Trio hits. “You Didn’t Feel a Thing” opens the disc with a familiar Skiba guitar lead and somber mood, and features sparse keyboard accents. “Haven’t You?” is an acoustic ballad that’s not a unlike “Sorry About That”, the final song on Alkaline Trio’s debut album, Goddamnit. “S.O.S.” is an upbeat rock song that boasts heavily distorted guitar and soaring backing vocals. It might not be the best song on Demos, but it’s certainly the most fun and the one that demands the most repeated listens. The remaining tracks either display somewhat of an electronic influence or exceedingly dark lyrical undertones, and simply aren’t as memorable as the aforementioned songs. Ultimately, the overall appeal and quality of songwriting found on Demos doesn’t match Skiba’s previous solo output, (a 2002 split with Kevin Seconds). Therefore, this is strictly recommended for diehard Alkaline Trio fans in search of a fix before the band’s next studio album is released.