Alter the Ending (Deluxe Version)

Alter the Ending finds emo king Chris Carrabba raising the bar on his band’s sixth studio album. Where 2007’s Shade of Former Trees resonated with beautifully stark moments and exquisite desolation, this album reflects more of the light found at the end of the tunnel. “Get Me Right” opens with a stripped-down verse as a lone guitar accompanies Carrabba’s shaky vocals while the chorus unfolds dynamically with upbeat rhythms, winding guitars and layered singing that all ascend into hopeful tones. Proggy keyboards help “Until Morning” begin like a Rush number before the song quickly morphs into a triumphant, feel-good hit waiting to happen. The anthemic “Belle of the Boulevard” plays so sanguinely that you have to wonder who exactly is the muse changing Carrabba’s life and music? Fans of the band’s 2002 Unplugged performance are in for quite a treat as the Deluxe Edition boasts 13 extra songs – acoustic takes of the tunes that comprise Alter the Ending plus bonus track “Truth of the Matter,” a woeful serenade with low rumbling rhythms, lilting piano and subtle swells of guitar feedback.