Saves The Day - Under the Boards

Rating

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RIYL

Say Anything
Fall Out Boy
The Beatles

Label

Vagrant Records

Tracklist

1. Under the Boards
2. Radio
3. Can't Stay the Same
4. Get Fucked Up
5. When I'm Not There
6. Lonely Nights
7. Bye Bye Baby
8. Stay
9. Getaway
10. Because You Are No Other
11. Kaleidoscope
12. Woe
13. Turning Over In My Tomb

Users Rating

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3 ratings

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Recent Ratings

The opening track from Under the Boards isn’t going to make old-school fans of Princeton, N.J.’s Saves the Day very happy. If the band’s movement away from its hardcore origins that started with 2001’s Stay What You Are shook off heavier-minded listeners, the newest release won’t do much to reclaim those mosh-pit dwellers. And that might not be such a bad thing.

It’s easy to declare the point at which a band “matures” – generally, this also coincides with the time when that same group shakes off a number of its fans and gains a completely new fan base. For Saves the Day, Under the Boards might be that point.

The band doesn’t completely move away from its peers, many of which are often lumped into that increasingly meaningless genre of “emo.” Certain tracks, such as the short and punchy “Can’t Stay the Same,” could as easily appear on the next Fall Out Boy or My Chemical Romance album. But Saves the Day's most distinctive quality on Under the Boards is their adoption of classic rock conventions, such as the epic “Kaleidoscope,” which nearly steals a riff from Foreigner’s “Cold as Ice” and unquestionably, a jangly, catchy sound that owes more than a share of its origins to a certain mop-topped foursome from Liverpool.

That Beatles influence is so heavy in “Lonely Nights”, right down to the reverb on singer Chris Conley’s vocals during the chorus. John Lennon should be rolling over in his grave asking for royalties. The very next track, “Bye Bye Baby” hearkens to the Fab Four’s earlier work with perhaps some shades of the Beach Boys mixed in as the drums pound out a jaunty, surf beat while Conley’s multi-layered vocals soar into a near falsetto.

There are a few fleeting moments of pogo-worthy, post-hardcore energy, such as the snarling “Getaway” and high-paced “Because You Are No Other,” but for the most part, this latest edition of the Chris Conley show expands on his self-described “Beatles from hell” sound. Surely, that suits him just fine.

--PJ Perez

Author

indievegas
Last updated: 09/29/2009 08:59PM

Comments

Michael Smer
11/15/2007
08:30AM
Age: 27
Solid review, I definitely think this is their best since Stay What You Are (My personal favorite), it finds that really nice balance between their old sound and their new sound.
JohnnyL
11/15/2007
08:40AM
Age: 30
Location
Columbus, Ohio
I enjoy this album. I am one of the few, the proud, that think In Reverie is their strongest album.

Recommending: Anberlin, Interpol, Chamberlain, House of Heroes

Michael Smer
11/15/2007
08:44AM
Age: 27
JohnnyL
I enjoy this album. I am one of the few, the proud, that think In Reverie is their strongest album.


I definitely think In Reverie got way more shit than it deserved, although I like a lot of their other albums better.
rocketcat
11/15/2007
11:37AM
I think this is a very good album but..I love saves the day's old stuff. everything before 'stay what you are' (my favorite STD album).
I'm looking forward to daybreak.
marineal
11/15/2007
02:52PM
in my top 5 of the year... great band
I Am Mick
11/15/2007
03:14PM
Location
Pittsburgh
I was kind of disapointed with this, and that hurt hard because I consider them to be easily my favorite band
I think Chris' voice has gone downhill since SWYA

www.myspace.com/mickmalonewrites

andrewking
11/15/2007
03:15PM
I just can't get into Saves the Day.

Or the dude's pink hair.
tim
11/15/2007
06:20PM
Age: 28
Location
Green Brook, NJ
this is the first saves the day record i cant listen to start-to-finish over and over until my ears bleed. i stop around track 7. but, fair score.
theDrivingSnow
11/16/2007
08:52AM
Thought Sound the Alarm was pretty good, but could barely make it through one listen of this. And this is coming from someone who likes Can't, Through, and Stay a lot. I don't like StD when they're downtempo.

It's blowin' cool outside today...

Joanne Vitale
11/16/2007
10:28AM
Location
Vegas!
Im glad to see PJ on the site... Hey PJ, how was Thursday the other night?
xRinox
11/16/2007
10:32AM
Age: 31
Location
San Borja, Lima, Perú
The only record I like is Through being cool, then everything these guys've done just reach a listen. Anyway I'll give this a chance.
theDrivingSnow
11/16/2007
03:51PM
It's also worth noting how much less poetic and unique Chris's lyrics have become. I think his lyrics are at their best on Through Being Cool, and if you showed someone unfamiliar with the band those lyrics and then some from the new album--isn't there a line about "stars falling on my heart"--they wouldn't believe it was the same guy.

It's blowin' cool outside today...

payroll
12/15/2007
09:29AM
Age: 30
Location
Paso Robles, CA
this is a great record from a band who is never content to take the easy way out and put something out that they are "supposed" to. always growing changing and becoming better craftsmen i would put this record on my top 10 for sure...maybe even top 5 for 2007.

Sometimes taking off can open up your eyes
To everything that lies in your heart.