CD Review: Say Anything - "...Is a Real Boy"

[mitchables]

Say Anything - ...Is A Real Boy

The music of Say Anything is not complex. Anyone who claims otherwise is deaf, or lying. Singer/songwriter Max Bemis is not overly good looking, nor is he brilliant at the numerous instruments he plays on this album, nor is he necessarily the most brilliant person on the planet.

But the irony in this is that Max Bemis and his drummer Coby Linder have, together, produced one of the most genius and hard-hitting albums I have heard in a long time. Now, being a music snob, I'm a fairly hard guy to impress, but Say Anything's debut CD, ...Is a Real Boy, blew me away from the very first time I listened to it. On the album, Max played every instrument bar the drums, and this fact alone was enough to impress me. The fact that he played them well, with brilliant cohesion and gelling, shows just how mad this kid has got to be in the head, to envision this kind of musical beauty.

The main influence in this CD is unarguably rock. You will like this CD if you like rock. It is as simple as that. Nice, hard hitting guitars smack the listener in the mouth from the get-go, backed solidly by Coby's drums. The drum beats are excellent on this album, not sticking to a particular format, but forever changing to suit the particular feel of the song. Max's basslines are not overly interesting but they back up the rest of the ensemble more than capably. The very full, rock feel is rounded out with numerous appearances of "gang vocals", and call-and-response sections between Max and "the gang".

Ultimately though, the true beauty and genius of Say Anything lies in Max's lyrics. His songs are the most brutally honest, self deprecating and at times both funny and sad, since Tim Kasher's work on Cursive and The Good Life. He writes with a flow most lyricists only dream about, and as I said, it is truly the lyrics that are the standout feature of this band.

Song by Song:

1. Belt - "...and the record begins with a song of rebellion." Beautiful, rocky first track which really sets the pace for the rest of the album. Awesome gang vocals/call and response at the end. 8.5/10

2. Woe - Slightly swing-influenced song with a gorgeous keyboard and guitar breakdown at the end. This song starts to explore Max's unluck with girls ("she took pity on me, horizontally, but most likely because of my band"), and his general distaste for the state of the nation. 9/10

3. The Writhing South - I love this song. Catchy as all hell with nice rock beats and breakdowns. Download it. 9.5/10

4. Alive with the Glory of Love - The tale of two lovers in the middle of a war ("When I watch you, wanna do you right where you're standing, yeah. Right on the foyer, on this dark day, right in plain view (oh yeah) of the whole ghetto, the boots stomp meadows, but we ignore that, yeah. You're lovely baby, this war is crazy, I won't let you down, oh no, no..."). Mad catchy song, beautifully written with an excellent guitar solo that just makes you want to dance. Download it. 10/10

5. Yellow Cat (slash) Red Cat - A slower song if ever I've seen one, but the lyrics are incredibly powerful. Worth a download. 9/10

6. The Futile - One of the most catchy songs on the album, and from this song I have determined the word "pussy" in the context of being a wimp is not used nearly enough in today's music. Beautiful. 10/10

7. Spidersong - Nice little rock song, but to be honest, it hasn't received much airtime on my CD player. 8/10

8. An Orgy of Critics - Hardest song on the album. Nice, constant rock. Doesn't let up, and it truly is an awesome song. It'll get stuck in your head. 9/10

9. Every Man Has a Molly - One of the most brutally honest accounts of a failed relationship I've ever heard outside of the Good Life. Catchy as hell, very rocky piece with handclaps. And ultimately, no-one can resist handclaps. 10/10

10. Slowly, Through a Vector - More laid back song, but nice nonetheless. It's a nice break from the pounding rock as well, and it has awesome gang vocals, which I am a sucker for. 9/10

11. Chia-like, I Shall Grow - Nice synth in this song, and a nice rock feel from the starting drum beats. God, I love this band. 9.5/10

12. I Want To Know Your Plans - Acoustic guitars, drum machines and crazy rennaisance synthesiser. I wouldn't have thought to put them together, but what do you know, it works. Well. 9/10

13. Admit It!!! - The best song on the planet. Beautiful lyrics, catchy as all hell, rocks on for over 4 minutes. Download it NOW. 10/10

OVERALL: 10/10

I definitely recommend this CD if you are into good rock with witty lyrics and a bit of experimentation with things outside the square such as synths and the like. Gorgeous. This CD is my Beatles.