by Scott Roche
I read a webcomic called Questionable Content (http://www.questionablecontent.net/) that refers a lot to “emo” and “indie” music. I’m not really familiar with most of the bands that it references, which by no means hinders the comic’s humor, but having listened to Bayside’s newest album, I feel like I’m a little more in touch. Lead vocalist Anthony Raneri says, “I feel like our first record had a very morbid outlook on life. The second record was more about looking into yourself, figuring out why everything is morbid and why such things are happening. This record is the next progression in the story of our lives. We already figured out what went wrong and why. Now it's about discovering what makes you happy, then going out and doing it." Apparently suffering peacefully, and being burned so that you know you’re alive, make them happy.
Their songs present a weird dichotomy. The music is often very upbeat and one might even dare say peppy, though they do seem to use minor chords quite a bit. The lyrics on the other hand are downright depressing. In "They're Not Horses, They're Unicorns," they say “she was a termite eating away at my roots. I was just a lost soul who needed a home. I was filling a void with you.” And it ends with “I'd get to see how all the choices you've made would drive you insane. I wish we never met." If this album is more upbeat then their prior outings, then those prone to suicide might want to avoid their original EPs. And it drives me a little crazy, because if their lyrics had anything life-giving or affirming, then I’d probably feel a good deal differently. I love the instrumentation and the singer’s voice.
The question in the album’s title cut does ask a profound question. “When our time is up, will we be ashamed or proud?” They lost their original drummer in a car accident and their bassist Nick Ghanbarian was badly hurt in that same crash. When your mortality screams in your face like that, I can imagine that thoughts like that do pop up. Raneri says, “Most of this record is about keeping your head up and getting through tough situations. Everybody has to get over being wounded.” Unfortunately I’m not sure that Bayside knows how to get over the wound. In "Choice Hops And Bottled Self Esteem," they do rightly proclaim that alcohol isn’t good for much more than healing scrapes and bruises. They admonish the person that they’re singing to, to go to church for “a good cleansing of body, mind and soul”, but church by itself doesn’t do the trick. Only Christ’s blood can clean the wounds that they seem to have.
Ultimately, from a purely musical perspective, I can certainly recommend this album. There’s some catchy stuff here and it’s easy on the ear. If you’re part of the walking wounded though, this will only pick at your scabs. And like my mama said, if you do that, they’ll never heal.
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