Talk about a return to form…although Saves The Day have never really been away, STD as they were originally born have been on a slippery slope of coolness ever since ‘Through Being Cool’ hit the streets many moons ago. Now don’t get me wrong, I actually like the last few records – including the much maligned ‘In Reverie’ – but there’s no doubt that the best Saves The Day songs are those when Chris Conley sings with passion. With balls. And when the guitar riffs are cranked up and the drums hit with a crack. And thank fuck for Lifetime‘s return, ‘cos little old Chris has regrown his balls, dropped the sappy side and penned a shitload of corking anthems that reference the band’s older side. It’s like 1999 all over again – and I like it.
‘Sound The Alarm’ isn’t Saves The Day‘s best work, but it’s not far off. Mixing up the best bits of both sides of the band, the faster bits sound marvellous while the slower more considered moments also work a treat. It’s like the record that should have come before ‘Stay What You Are’, certainly less of a culture shock from what the band did in the 21st Century. ‘Sound The Alarm’ is 13 tracks and 35 minutes of cool. The perfect summer record for cranking up on the car stereo with the windows down (or the air conditioning on if you’re that way inclined), it’s choc-full of singalong hooks and fast and furious verses. ‘Head For The Hills’, on first listen, is a bit of a culture shock because ‘Cars and Calories‘ it ain’t. Conley’s vocals sound a little punctured – he’s pushing at the boundary and screeching like he’s not screeched in a long time, and By Jove it sounds good.
Although not every song is amazing, there isn’t a genuinely bad song here. ‘Shattered’ has a truly great bassline, ‘Eulogy’ the perfect respite to an energetic opening to the record, while ’34’ is another song that would have progressed nicely before ‘Stay What You Are’ came out. But while variation is the key to this album’s success, there’s no doubt the real winners come when the guitar riffs are peeled off with vigour. ‘Say You’ll Never Leave’ is brilliant – even when Conley’s whine seemingly reaches breaking point – and ‘Bones’ has a guitar line that will have you hook, line and sinker. Even ‘Diseased’ sounds great in amongst the quicker tracks, while the album’s title track has a hook the size of Holland.
So right at the beginning I mentioned ‘Sound The Alarm’ was a return to form. Well, I could argue Saves The Day never lost it in the first place, they merely grew as artists. And while ‘In Reverie’ was a great album in its own right, the musical maturity contained therein didn’t quite suit Conley and co. This record is their homecoming and crowning glory. When the riff and pounding drums erupt two-thirds of the way through ‘Bones’ it’s like Conley and his band of merry men have been given a heroes welcome. It’s the perfect antidote to all those sappy screaming bands coated in tattoos and faux machismo posteuring. Welcome back Saves The Day, we’ve missed you.
www.savestheday.com
Vagrant
Paul