I get the feeling that I'll be alone on this one - especially since they fall into the alternative/punk/emo category, but does anyone else around here listen to Say Anything?? Unfortuante band name aside, they're one of my favorite "new" bands from the past few years.? "Is A Real Boy" was a fantastic and messy album filled with great lyrics, spoken-word rants, and the 23-yr old singer's (who wrote and played virtually everything on the album) struggles with what would be soon be diagnosed as bipolar disorder.
I just got done listening to "In Defense of the Genre," a 27-track, double disc album out Tuesday, and I have to say, I'm stunned.? It's all over the place, stylistically - fusing bits of electronics, swing, reggae, even doo-wop into what has become the standard alterna-punk formula these days - but there's really not a single song I won't be listening to again.? Even the tracks I didn't like right away quickly mophed into what seemed like an entirely different song within seconds, changing tempos and melodies seemingly from out of nowhere.? Lyrics deal with heart-on-sleeve emo ("Shiksa (Girlfriend)") to being institutionalized ("Church Channel") to screwing up a tour due to drugs and disease ("Sorry, Dudes. My Bad.")? Other than the Illusion albums, I personally can't think of any other double-album set that is so ambitious and worth listening to from start to finish ("Blashphemy!," cry out Pumpkins and Chili Pepper fans!).
So.? Anyone else ever listen?
Anyone?
(crickets)? ?
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