This track is off I the Mighty’s upcoming album, Connector, to be released June 2nd via Equal Vision Records. To pre-order the album, click here!
Tag: max bemis
Review:: Hebrews | Say Anything
With each passing album that Say Anything pens, I tend to pensively dip a toe before diving right in. It’s nothing against the artists or the music, but more of a personal reason. Before I even press play, I can be certain that it will be something new. And before jumping into the deep end of my conclusions or opinions, testing the waters is much safer.
So, here we arrive at Hebrews. Putting all of the talking aside, not getting buried beneath repetitive mentions reminding “but there aren’t any guitars!,” Hebrews holds tight onto the grit and chaos a Say Anything fan craves.
Sure, the lack of guitars is a very aggressive decision, but creatively, it’s enjoyable.
Their absence is something that, while noticeable, isn’t entirely distracting. In their place, supportive orchestral pieces give a feeling, somehow, of both order and disarray. On paper, it’s odd, but it works when you hear it and, more often than not, isn’t noticed until pointed out (“Judas Decapitation,” “Six Six Six,” and the extensive introduction to the title track being prime examples).
Bemis’ self-deprecation is sharp and focused at countless moments here, but most is taken with some semblance of tongue-in-cheek thanks to his delivery and clever lyricism. His ability to write darkly while delivering lightly has always put Bemis in a select category, and Hebrews is no exception. “Six Six Six” is an introspective look at religious and personal relationships, calling himself “just a strung-out, overweight Jewish guy” after submitting “I belong in jail, but I lied my way to heaven, with a wife who hasn’t learned that I’m Satan yet.” Later, on the plucky and playful “My Biggest Fear is Splendid,” Keith Buckley helps Bemis inventory his long list of neuroses and anxieties while still sounding cheery.
“Lost My Touch” lies at a median between love and self-loathing. Set as a mild piano ballad, Bemis offers up his role to those who “are twice as insightful and half his age” and tell him he “has lost his touch writing Say Anything songs.” Despite knowing he’ll “one day be eclipsed,” he still gets a warm smile from it, knowing he “lived and bled for this.” With help from a Christie DuPree/Jeremy Bolm harmony, the song eases away with “I never say ‘washed up’ as I prefer to say ‘washed over,’ because you can drown in love of yesterdays.”
On the other side of the median, “The Shape of Love to Come” is a gloomy synthpop duet with wife Sherri DuPree. An indisputable standout, the pair’s chemistry rings through each second and note of the track, which happens to clock-in as the album’s lengthiest.
Now, I could go on for hours about the bits of Razia’s Shadow I hear throughout Hebrews or the comparisons I could make between the two. Firstly, there’s the departure from “typical” form – Razia as a musical, Hebrews as a guest-filled cabaret more or less. Second, the ambitious orchestration leads to a lack of guitars, with strings filling their vacant slot. And then there’s the cast: Bemis’ vocals are at-times reminiscent of his previous arachnidan role, while Chris Conley and Aaron Weiss (whose inclusion again leans more towards spoken narration rather than singing) each loan their own bit of vocals. But like I said, you probably shouldn’t get me started on that one.
Anyway, back on track. Bluntly, Hebrews is a leap of faith. Bemis has spent the better part of a decade progressing and maturing, and the songwriting and decision-making processes here are great indicators of where he is in regards to those. An album from a rookie songwriter taken in this direction would be marked as ambitious and wild, then perhaps given its dues and tucked away. Though, for someone with the status and reputation such as Max Bemis’, it’s [most of] those things and more. It’s, from my perspective, a message to fans, to critics, to himself and the world alike; he is aware of both who and where he is, he knew what he was capable of (or, maybe he didn’t), and he saw an opportunity for something exceptional. All of this is purely speculative, but one thing is unquestionable – the end result deserves our applause.
Check Out: “Six Six Six,” “The Shape of Love to Come,” “Judas Decapitation”
Release Date: June 10th, 2014
Rating: 4.25/5
Runtime: 46:36
Tracklist:
1. “John McClane” featuring Chris Conley and Matt Pryor
2. “Six Six Six” featuring Sherri DuPree-Bemis, Andy Hull and Jon Simmons
3. “Judas Decapitation” featuring Gareth and Kim Campesinos
4. “Kall Me Kubrick” featuring Chauntelle DuPree-D’Agostino
5. “My Greatest Fear Is Splendid” featuring Keith Buckley
6. “Hebrews” featuring Brian Sella
7. “Push” featuring Aaron Weiss
8. “The Shape of Love to Come” featuring Sherri DuPree-Bemis
9. “Boyd” featuring Sherri DuPree-Bemis
10. “A Look” featuring Stacy King and Bob Nanna
11. “Lost My Touch” featuring Christie DuPree and Jeremy Bolm
12. “Nibble Nibble” featuring Tom DeLonge and Sherri DuPree-Bemis
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Written by Eric Riley
Stream Say Anything’s Upcoming Album In It’s Entirety On Spotify
Say Anything Announce New Album & Tour
“Favorite record I’ve ever made = favorite tour I’ve ever played. Not to mention the other bands slay; if y’all show up, you’ll make my day.” – Max
These are the words of Say Anything frontman, Max Bemis, in reference to the bands newly announced album “Hebrews” which will be released on June 10th via Equal Vision Records. To support the album, Say Anything will be hitting the road starting June 13th – for the full list of dates click “Read More” below!
6.13 Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
6.14 Austin, TX @ Emo’s
6.15 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
6.17 Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
6.18 Tampa, FL @ Ritz Ybor
6.19 Orlando, FL @ Beacham Theater
6.20 Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
6.21 Charlotte, NC @ Amos Southend
6.22 Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
6.24 Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
6.25 Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live
6.26 Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
6.27 Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
6.28 New York, NY @ Best Buy Theatre
6.29 Boston, MA @ House of Blues
7.1 New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place
7.2 Clifton Park, NY @ Upstate Concert Hall
7.3 Syracuse, NY @ Lost Horizon
7.5 Toronto, ON @ Opera House
7.6 Millvale, PA @ Mr Smalls Theatre
7.8 Lansing, MI @ Common Ground Fest
7.9 Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
7.10 Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note
7.11 Chicago, IL @ Concord Music Hall
7.12 Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
7.13 Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
7.15 Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre
7.16 Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall
7.17 Salt Lake City, UT @ Club Sound
7.19 Seattle, WA @ Showbox at The Market
7.20 Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
7.22 San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom
7.24 Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
7.25 Pomona, CA @ Glass House
7.26 San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
7.27 Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee
To purchase pre-sale tickets for the upcoming tour, head to: sayanything.ducatking.com
Review:: Under Fire EP | Under Fire
Under Fire is a five piece pop-punk band hailing from New Hampshire who are releasing their first EP which also happens to be called Under Fire. This EP takes me back to the pop-punk I was listening to back in the late 90’s and early 00’s. Nothing says pop-punk more than an album four songs and roughly 13 minutes in length.
When I loaded up the songs the first thing that came to mind was how much Josh Carley’s vocals made me think Max Bemis of Say Anything. The second thing that came to mind was how much the music itself was reminiscent of The Ataris.
The first song on the EP, “Last Call”, is anthem to boozing up and throwing down. Lyrics like “Don’t even think, just grab a drink, we’ll start a fight” set the tone for an upbeat album full of youthful energy and exuberance. In fact, it is no surprise that I am reminded of the aforementioned time period, as that is when I was in high school. The lyrics are very youthful in nature, and I mean no disrespect by that. I can easily remember what it was like growing up and being impacted by friends and relationships and feeling like I was old enough to do what I wanted. Life can seem pretty difficult during this time and it is expressed pretty well with this album.
The clear hit on the EP is “Tired”, the last track on the album. It is a great representation of all the things I’ve mentioned thus far; a youthful and energetic song about growing up. The song is by far the most well-done on the album, from the lyrics to song writing and production. It’s a fun Amber Pacific-esqe song that any crowd would have a hard time not getting in to. If I was 18 year old me again, I’d definitely hop into a circle pit for this.
Under Fire’s self-titled EP is a really solid first effort; one that should see their stock rise and opportunities present themselves.This album is most certainly worth a checking out, which is made easier by the fact that the band is literally giving it away on their bandcamp page. The EP would be worth grabbing even if it wasn’t free (link below!!!), but since it is you have absolutely no reason not to check them out.
Release Date: August, 6th, 2013
Rating: 3.5/5
Runtime: ≈13 minutes
Track List:
1. Last Call
2. Moving On
3. Fractured (feat. Lynn Gunnulfsen)
4. Tired
Under Fire is:
Josh Carley – Vocals
Devin Dehart – Guitar
Adrien Aries – Guitar
Ricky Butt – Bass
Jake Kisiel – Drums
Links:
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Written By: Mark Northern
NEW: Max Bemis and Sherri DuPree acoustic tour dates.
11.30 – Brighton Music Hall, Boston, MA
12.1 – The Space, Hamden, CT
12.2 – The Bell House, Brooklyn, NY
12.3 – The Note, West Chester, PA
12.4 – Ottobar, Baltimore, MD
12.6 – Local 506, Chapel Hill, NC
12.7 – New Brookland Tavern, West Columbia, SC
12.9 – The Masquerade, Atlanta, GA
12.10 – The Social, Orlando, FL
12.11 – The Orpheum, Tampa FL
12.13 – Spanish Moon, Baton Rouge, LA
12.14 – Warehouse Live, Houston, TX
12.15 – House of Rock, Corpus Christi, TX
12.16 – White Rabbit, San Antonio, TX
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