Saves
The Day - Under The Boards
Vagrant Records are the home to many great bands
with huge potential and every year the label seems
to put out an outstanding album by a band whose
previous album were way below average. In 2006 the
label put of Senses Fail's 'Still Searching' album
which totally blew me away and put the band on the
journey to big things and in 2007 the label have
released the 6th full length Saves The Day album
'Under The Boards' and once again this is an album
I wasn’t expecting much from but it’s
simply amazing and you can really tell that the
band have taken time on the album and put everything
they could into it.
The overall sound to 'Under The Boards' is a
lot darker sounding than any previous Saves The
Day releases but at the same time it continues
to be bouncy poppy rock music. The album opens
up with the title track 'Under The Boards' which
really sets the pace for the album, Chris Conley's
vocals are dark and serious sounding showing how
mature the band have grown over the years. The
bass line is stunning and really stands out. The
album then fires straight into the upbeat bass
driven 'Radio', a song that is catchy instrumentally
and vocally. 'Can't Stay The Same' is a pure poppy
song that follows on well from the infectious
'Radio' in a more infectious way, you will find
your self bopping along to this is no time.
The album takes a slight turn to a slower track
titled 'Get Fucked Up', now this is the kind of
song from the title that you would expect to be
either depressing or a full assault of noise,
but this is Saves The Day remember and they don’t
create noise for the sake of it and never go down
the depression route with their sound, lyrically
the song is quite depressing and is about attempting
to get over someone but forever getting fucked
up because you can’t get the person out
of your mind, The song is mid-paced and hits all
the right bits to become a classic song that you
will find yourself listening to again and again.
'When Im Not There' see's the album up itself
in pace once again and Chris Conley's vocals change
throughout the song from being quiet sing a long
vocals to fast sing a long vocals. 'Lonely Nights'
is a piano driven song with the piano work really
setting the mood for this song. 'Bye Bye Baby'
is a really bouncy upbeat song and in my opinion
the only song from the album that I’m starting
to dislike due to the poppy repetitiveness.
The album finishes off with 'Woe' and 'Turning
Over In My Tomb' and this is the moment the album
goes extremely dark with 'Woe' sounding really
heavy and hard hitting, but a bit too much like
early My Chemical Romance material for my liking,
whilst 'Turning Over In My Tomb' is quite a mellow
yet dark themed song which finishes things off
perfectly.
Towards the end of the album it turns acoustic
for 'Stay' a song that is simply beautiful sounding,
once again Chris Conley's vocals really make the
song and he ends up singing his heart out, on
what happens to be one of the albums many highlights.
'Under The Boards' is a really impressive album
and if you spend time to listen to the lyrics
you will realise that the album is quite a personal
album for Saves the Day, and that is probably
what’s helped the band in creating the album
of their careers so far. The album is a mix of
infectious poppy punk with some dark moods added
in; most of the songs on the album are bass driven
or the extremely bouncing kind. 'Under the Boards'
should please the hardcore fans whilst also brining
the band a whole new bunch of fans.
4/5
Review by Trigger
Band
Members
Chris Conley - (Vocals, Guitar) David Soloway - (Guitar, Vocals) Manuel Ragoonanan Carrero - (Bass) Durijah Lang - (Drums)
Track
Listing
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
