Album Review
Saves The Day – Saves The Day
Saves The Day’s current offering, the self-titled record featuring a grapefruit on the cover, is the happiest that the band have been in their 8-album career. Chris Conley and co. have delivered and album distinctly Saves The Day, while offering also offering a new outlook from the Saves The Day camp.
A bright record, bouncing with summer, is a welcome change from the gloomy themes of previous Saves The Day efforts. This partially crowd-funded effort is the best that the band have offered in a while, and the fans deserve that nearly as much as the band.
Opener ‘Remember’ kicks off the album with a biting guitar riff, pop-punk sensibilities laden throughout. Conley is looking back fondly during this song, as he does so throughout the record. “I remember doing nothing at all / on the corner, talking, no where to go” is how the chorus goes, but it doesn’t feel like wasted time. The exact opposite, in fact.
‘Remember’ precedes what is possibly the best track on offer, ‘In The In Between’, the closest to Saves The Day’s older stuff. Conley’s nasally vocals are still prominent, and Jimmy Eat World-esque musicianship is too. Rodrigo Palma bats at the drums heartily throughout the track, holding the high hopes of the songs theme aloft before the song explodes before the refrain at the end.
Another highpoint of the album includes ‘Xenophobic Blind Left Hook’, an atmospheric tune telling a story that everyone can relate to – being young and acting foolish. ‘Ring Pop’ sees the whole band hit their stride as Conley sings of singing along with the person of his musing, while album closer ‘Stand In The Stars’ is about trying again, and not letting go.
Saves the Day have shined more in these 37 minutes than they have since the release of Stay What You Are in 2001. The band has gone through many line-up changes, and have now seemed to have found a rota that works the best for over a decade. Conley, the only original member, is in his 30’s now. Wife, kids, a house, these are all a part of his life now. He finally seems happy, and hopefully this happiness won’t fade away.
Download: In The In Between, Ring Pop, Xenophobic Blind Left Hook
Venue: Saves The Day
Support Band: Equal Vision, Sony RED, Easy Life