After somewhat alienating fans by flexing their
indie rock
muscles on 2003's
In Reverie
, it seems that
Saves the Day
want to reclaim their stake to the
emocore
throne. Whether or not a conscious reaction to the mixed response of their last (though admittedly solid) album,
Sound the Alarm
harks back to the aggressive
pop
-
punk
nature of their
Through Being Cool
days, but ya know, five years more mature.
Chris Conley
's voice is as distinctive as ever -- walking that fine line between endearing and annoying -- but somehow now invokes a slight likeness to
Our Lady Peace
's
Raine Maida
mixed with a
Sid Vicious-esque
sneer.
"Head for the Hills"
sufficiently sets both the cynical mood and quick pace for the album ahead with its thick, understated bassline and punchy disposition that fiercely proclaims "And if I die tonight and go to Hell/I wonder will I see you?" As such,
certainly haven't lost their knack for crafting the perfect singalong
song for bitterness and heartache altogether presented in a gleaming package. Morbid, often bloody, imagery is still present amidst emotive lines ("I'll cut out my throat and I'll eat it raw/And drown in the blood as it fills my lungs"); thus one advantage is revealed to having a hand in defining a genre -- the gory lines come off as clever instead of cliched and annoying. And while bouncy numbers like
"The End,"
"Bones,"
and
"Dying Day"
show
re-creating what they do best, the unhurried backdrop of the compelling
"Don't Know Why"
"Sound the Alarm"
are affecting songs that should grow on listeners to lasting satisfaction. While
is enjoyable enough, it still doesn't reach the level of excellence reached on
Stay What You Are
. The latter album had more diversity and memorable moments than
's 13 tracks put together. With hopes set too high for an
emo
masterpiece that somehow blended
's pensive experimentation and
's sparkling nature on a
canvas,
is ultimately just another good
record. But hey, what's really wrong with that? ~ Corey Apar