It's been a long time since I've been at MX. Ever since the start of Senior year, wrestling season, and 3 AP classes I could just never keep up. I digress...
The fact that NO ONE did a review of Saves the Day's Masterpiece, "Stay What You Are" for the past 2 years made me decide to do it it myself.
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Quote:
"Hey guys, did you hear the new Saves The Day CD?"
"Yeah, it blows...what a bunch of stupid cry babies."
That has been a common reaction to the new album throughout the punk scene...
Recorded in early 2001, the new STD album, Stay What You Are, takes the band to a completely new level. If you're looking for a Can't Slow Down or Through Being Cool rehash, just quit reading this review right now.
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STAY WHAT YOU ARE
Artist: SAVES THE DAY
Released: 2001
Formats: CD/Casette
Genre: Emo / Post-Punk / Power Pop
Studio/Live?: Studio
Label: Vagrant Records
Catalogue Number: B00005M977
Vocals: Chris Conley
Guitar: David Soloway
Bass" Eben D'amico
Drums: Brian Newman
To many Saves the Day fans, "Stay What You Are" is a pop punk masterpiece and highlights what Saves the Day stands for. The guitar work stepped up a notch with incredibly catchy hooks. Chris Conley's lyrics are more descriptive and heart felt than before. This album has its dark moments, but this is by far the catchiest and most complex album Saves the Day has ever produced.
The album begins with their single, "At Your Funeral." This song, like many of their other songs emphasizes the "bouncy death effect." The song is extremely catchy, and cheerful sounding, but Conley's lyrics are dark and completely opposite the mood of the song. Eben's bass playing ties in well with the guitar play. 5/5
"My gut is burning. Won't you find me some water? Hey, just forget it can you bring me gasoline and collect a couple forks and hold them three feet apart and wait for lightning to strike to burn me up?" Right from the get go "See You" just grabs you, holds you, then drags you in at the chorus. It's one of the cheerful songs on this album. 5/5
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Originally Posted by Ztar22
This song is how almost all of us have felt when we've liked someone. His gut is burning cause he can't find the nerve and he can't do anything about it so he decides that dying is the only way to stop it. Where he says that his head is swirling and carried off. Well he's just saying that he keeps thinking about that person and that he's getting rid of his "head" to clear his memory. What's left of that person will be somewhere beneath the waves of time, and he'll never look back.
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"Cars and Calories" portrays the story of a girl or perhaps the millions of people who lead superficial lives and are left to become "hollow shells." The album slows down, and the dismay of the song can be felt. 4/5
The album explodes with "Certain Tragedy" the upbeat song on destiny. "I could write you a song, send you a note, or empty out your trash and buy a bucket full of diamonds but even the most beautiful of all roses must someday crumble to dust and fade away. It's certain tragedy," Conley sings. The line is gold. 5/5
It"s time for a bittersweet song on love. "Jukebox Breakdown" delivers! Man, when you ask the girl you"ve had a crush on to go with you to prom and she says yes, then two days later tells you that she can"t go. This is your song.
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Originally Posted by emoboy83
It's about expectations, It's about a girl that has complete control and you will tend to her every need, and all she wants "is a broken heart," and whenever she wants it she gets it and you do it, play her favorite songs, with a broken heart
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4/5
And while you"re dealing with the heartache. Let "Freakish" serve as your remedy. The bass and the guitars compliment Conley"s vocals as he sets the mood for this heart wrenching song. Amazing. 5/5
"As Your Ghost Takes Flight" takes the album down a whole different road. The song opens with Conley singing in an almost cynical tone, "The last time I saw you, August of '99, I should have had my hammer and a few rusty spikes to nail you on a wall and use bottles to catch your blood and display you for the neighbors so they know your time had come." Some of the band"s most gruesome lyrics patted down, painted, and made into a catchy song. This song could be the stuff that"s turning people off of Saves the Day. However I think this song has an entirely different tone from what Chris is actually saying. Personally, I think the song is about loving someone so much that you would almost kill them to get them to see what a beautiful thing they are. 5/5
"Nightingale" is the antithesis of the previous song. The beauty of Conley"s lyrics, the quality guitar work, and Eben"s purring base brings everything together. "Nightingale" is written like a dark story that you don't want to end. This slow song is just incredibly beautiful and will have you hitting the replay button over and over again. 5/5
"All I"m Losing is Me" is the song to listen to when you"re about to succumb to pressure from life. You can feel the despair, "The moon hangs like the blade of an axe tonight/And I think that I see that big blade falling/And I think that I see that big blade coming." 4/5
"This is Not an Exit" starts off nice and slow, before taking you into the clouds. The imagery he creates with his lyrics is breath taking. Read the lyrics as you listen to the album to fully experience each songs value. 5/5
The fast "Firefly" closes the album. Chris spews out everything, "I must confess what's in my head" Before slowing down and wrapping everything up in the slow but high point of the song. "To me you are the light from a light bulb that breaks sometimes and the tender warmth inside is released into my life and it smothers me in flames that lick and scorch my face. As the smoke reaches the sky know I'm burning tonight." It just washes over you and it"s done. Amazing. 5/5
Whether you are a new fan to Saves the Day, never heard of them before, or are a die hard, x super hero hard core fan that for some reason doesn"t have this album. GET IT! I highly recommend it. This is one of the extremely rare pop punk masterpieces out there. Download it, buy it off of ebay, anything. The catchy and heartfelt tunes on this solid album will have you singing in the shower for hours.
Definitely check these songs out:
See You, Certain Tragedy, Freakish, Nightingale, This is Not an Exit
Overall : 5/5
