Say Anything- In defense of the Genre

It has been a few weeks since the album dropped and i am ready to make my official post.

Let us begin.

Say Anything rocks. If you don't know this by now, you are missing out on some of the best rock material of the last couple years. In a decade where lyrics take a back seat to beats, Say Anything continually put out some of the best content out there (both lyrically and sonically), and on In Defense of the Genre they go large with a double disc for their sophomore major label release.

The album is expansive and covers a lot of ground. The band is still playing with some great rock stuff but they also manage to throw some curve balls with mandolins and voice overs. All the while Max sings about his drug and girl problems, but where ...Is a real boy feels manic (and rightly so due to the conditions at recording) Genre is contemplative and for the most part...far deeper. It sounds complicated, but at the heart of it all is classic rock hooks and fans should not be disappointed.

The album also features some great guest performances from the likes of Pete Yorn, Adam Lazzara from TBS, Haley from Paramore, Chris Carrabba from Dashboard, Anthony Raneri from Bayside and Chris Conley from Saves the days to name a few.

What I like about these guest appearances is how low key they are. The appearances are not listed and are quite subtle. Max is the focus of all the songs and I get the feeling that these were done as a favor to the band. In the end they become a fun Easter egg hunt and a nice addition to a very solid album.

If you know and love the band this album will rock for you.

If you are new to the band, I'm sure you will like it. But I recommend you start with is a real boy and work your way into this one as it could be overwhelming.

In Defense Of The Genre.mp3

offical website