their distributor. The band performed on the Plea for Peace/Take Action Tour alongside Thrice, Hot Water Music, and Cave In in August and early September. Skiba embarked on an acoustic tour for the remainder of September. Alkaline Trio was due to support Blink-182 on their European stadium tour; the trek was ultimately canceled, and the band spent time at home. Preceded by a handful of mainland European dates in November 2001, the band then embarked on their first ever tour of the UK, which ran into December. The UK shows were supported by Crackout. After returning to the US, they played a few holiday shows with the Get Up Kids until Christmas. In January 2002, the band embarked on a second UK tour, before playing a few west coast US shows in the following month supporting the Bouncing Souls. They toured the UK a third time in March 2002, with support from Face to Face and Saves the Day. Around their appearance at Skate & Surf Festival, Alkaline Trio played several shows in April. Between June and August, the band went on the 2002 Warped Tour. The band had planned to appear at the Reading Festival in the UK, but pulled out shortly before it happened. They concluded the year with two shows in their hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Reception Critical reaction to the album was mixed. Ari Wiznitzer of AllMusic called it a slump for the band and "a definite low point in Alkaline Trio's catalog", criticizing its "lighter, more mainstream sound" which "really doesn't complement Matt Skiba and Dan Andriano's foul-mouthed poetry as well as their earlier abrasive sound. Adding to the disappointment is that this is the first Alkaline Trio release to have any filler, as many of the songs seem painfully tossed off (and probably were, as the band has been so prolific)." Matt Hendrickson of Rolling Stone was more praising of the album's qualities, remarking that the band "deliver[s] catchy punk pop with sharp elbows and a wry sense of humor" and that "What saves them from the gutter are some effortless hooks and Skiba's hysterical lyrics". John Dark of Pitchfork remarked, "There's quite a bit that Alkaline Trio's music is not. It's not challenging, ambitious, or visionary. It's not clever or self-aware. It's not even terribly skillful. But what it is, is tasty. Pure musical junk food: fast, greasy, and crafted for a general