Saves the Day

Item: Stay What You Are
Author: Tom Bastian

Stay What You Are

(2001)

Reviewed by Tom Bastian

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Label Vagrant RecordsDecapolis2001

emo pop punk

The big buzz around "Stay What You Are" was that this is something totally different than any other Saves the Day release. Which for a band in their genre is only natural as they progress and grow as musicians. Many seemed to be disappointed; I on the other hand was pleasantly surprised. I was a fan of their previous full length "Through Being Cool" but I think I would have been rather disappointed with another poppy sounding punk rock album. Sure this album is poppy and definitely easy to sing along with. But it's also different and more innovative than you may expect from a band like these guys.

Probably the things that stand out most with this release is the overall more mature musicianship of the band and clever lyrics of frontman Chris Conley. Chris's lyrics have always been somewhat dark and generally about girls or growing up as a teenager. But with this release they have seemed to become even darker and more creative, while still staying catchy. The opening track, "At Your Funeral", which I feel is the strongest song on the album, is about imagining a friend or enemies funeral. Another track I really enjoyed, which I'm sure a majority of the good old Saves the Day fans probably can't stand is, "Freakish". A song that just has this slowed down groove that still extremely catchy. Sure you may say I'm jumping on the "Vagrant Records Bandwagon" but this is definitely one of my top albums of the year at this point. Actually I have to admit that most of what Vagrant has put out this year has been rather solid.

A-