Is This Thing Cursed?

Vocalist and bassist Dan Andriano compared the recording process to that of the band's early days: "the songwriting process is almost like what it was back in the day. We would just kind of write a song, be excited about it, then move on. We wrote in that spirit in the studio. I really feel like we made a record that the old school fans are going to dig." The band also compared Is This Thing Cursed? to their second album, ''Maybe I'll Catch Fire'' (2000). Themes and topics covered on the album include depression, the 2016 presidential election, the Access Hollywood tape, the band's hometown of Chicago, and the Fyre Festival that vocalist and guitarist Matt Skiba was set to headline with Blink-182, but cancelled. ==Reception==

The album has received generally positive reviews. AllMusic wrote "Recapturing the spirit of earlier recordings, Chicago punk stalwarts Alkaline Trio polish those rough edges of youthful messiness and hit an effortless stride with their ninth album. At its boisterous best, Cursed soars with the trademark harmonies of Matt Skiba and Dan Andriano, popping with an energy that recalls past peaks like 2000's ''Maybe I'll Catch Fire'' and 2001's From Here to Infirmary." ==Track listing==

Taken from Apple Music. ==Personnel==

;Alkaline Trio • Matt Skiba – guitar, vocals • Dan Andriano – bass, vocals • Derek Grant – drums, vocals ;Production • Cameron Webb – production, mixing ==Charts==