Review Summary: Tony Sly has made us very sad bears indeed.
Sometimes I struggle to put thoughts to words; especially when one album gives you an overwhelming amount of them. Maybe Sly put them there for us to be empower, to reflect, to think about the future. It’s hard to put a finger on what I exactly feel, even though these feelings overwhelm me. This is exactly what Tony Sly, the singer/guitarist behind the pop punk band ‘No Use for A Name’ has done. An emotional-driven adventure in his final solo album before his death in July 2012, Sad Bear exposes the dark corner we all have in us.
The lyrics are by far the strongest point of the album, looking back at the life he could have lived if he chose a ‘perfect life’. Sly wastes no time in pulling us into this, with the opener ‘Dark Corner’, telling us the story of what could have been, what he is and what could be. Through every song in the album, the lyrics are going to relate one way or another, such as the politically motivated ‘Hey God’, which delves into the economic crisis during 2011; or ‘Burgies, Basics and You’ tells the story of a man who has succumbed to alcohol and the price has been paid on his family. With lyrics such as ‘I am no longer on your path but it seems I’m in your way’, listeners are consistently hit with passionate and heartfelt vocals which resound with listeners one way or another. filled with sombre lyrics throughout the album, Sly traverses us through a wide range of emotions; whether it being longing, regret, or happiness through his upbeat tempo.
Even though each song tells a story; none of those stories seem finished, which is ultimately the downfall of this album. Only one song on this album ventures past 2.30 minutes (discomfort inn), which is great if it was a terrible album, but it isn’t, and it leaves an open void and the end of the album, leaving half opened arguments begging to be finished.
In the end, Sly has made another Tony Sly album; which is a refreshing blend of country and passionate vocals. With the death of Tony Sly back in 2012, this remains his last solo album, but he has left us with an upbeat album with sombre lyrics. Thanks for everything.
