Send "Say Anything " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Sputnikmusic |
 In order to see why Say Anything's Anarchy, My Dear is such an unequivocal failure, we've got to look at what made ...Is A Real Boy such a fantastic album, given that the former is supposed to recapture some of the latter's glory. Real Boy was one of those rare albums that seemed like it could have never been created except under the exact circumstances in which it was. The music uncannily mirrored its creator, full of stop-start riffs and time signatures that changed schizophrenically, sounding paranoid, with all of its elements stuffed together almost randomly. Yet there was an undeniable order to the album. There was a feeling that Max Bemis, for all his mental issues, was able to focus every ounce of energy into making the album make sense, to bring it together into a coherent statement. And he succeeded. Even though soon after the album was completed, he was reduced to pouring soup onto restaurant floors by the spoonful, he succeeded, and the album is now rightly hailed as an influential masterpiece.So it makes sense that, eight years and some questionable career moves later, Bemis would want to revisit Real Boy, and I first have to say that, although Anarchy, My Dear is terrible, at least he didn't go for an all-out cash grab by re-recording or re-releasing or re-anything Real Boy. It shows that he at least has some respect for his legacy. That is, however, where the good things end and the baffling things begin. Firstly, Bemis has made some downright strange statements about Anarchy, My Dear, including references to the album as “true punk,” “edgy,” and “raw.” Obviously, none of those things are true. Bemis hasn't touched punk with a ten-foot pole in years, and this album has been polished to a blinding sheen in the studio, just like the self-titled album was. The difference here is that where Say Anything was a record confident in its independence from the band's other albums, Anarchy, My Dear tries to filter the best parts of Real Boy through a modern, sober, Christian filter, and it just does not work. Bemis vainly tries to recapture the venomous songwriting that he used to employ, but it's obvious he's forgotten how. He seems to be writing songs for teenagers. Any hint of actual aggression or emotion is somehow diluted. In the very brief moments when he uses harsh vocals, there is always an annoying studio distortion jumbling his voice; it sounds as if it's supposed to enhance his voice when really it holds it back and makes it grating. The sad thing is that Bemis has proven in the past that he can be acerbic without being musically aggressive with songs like “No Soul” from In Defense Of The Genre, but these songs merely limp along, barely justifying their lengths. Lead single “Burn A Miracle” sounds initially promising but soon reveals the way this album tries to deceive fans into thinking it's something they should pay attention to. The song steals elements from a few other Say Anything songs – the stadium rock feel of “Hate Everyone,” the structure of “Mara And Me,” and most egregiously, the “ha ha ha” melody from “Slowly Through A Vector” – but neglects to include any sort of charm, quickly devolving into a shouty, meaningless mess. In fact, “meaningless” is the best descriptor for Anarchy, My Dear in general. Even the album's supposed biggest theme – anarchy – is given short shrift even though the entire title track sees Bemis weirdly serenading it. In the chorus he sings, “Anarchy, my dame, I quiver at your name,” and I guess you've got to give him credit for writing a song that embodies the word “quiver” – pathetic in its delicacy – while also using the word “quiver.”...full text |
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| i haven’t seen much lyric art for the new say anything, so i thought i’d do this. this is my favorite off of the new cd, i can’t wait to get my preorder!!...full text |
Say Anything lyrics
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