Saves the Day

Saves the Day: DaybreakDaybreak (2011)
Razor & Tie

Reviewer Rating: 3.5

User Rating:

Contributed by: thepopeofchili-townthepopeofchili-town
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Published on September 13th 2011Daybreak, Saves the Day's latest offering and first for new label Razor & Tie, has seen the kind of delays and setback usually reserved for Guns N' Roses albums. In the four years since the release of their last full-length, Under the Boards, three-quarters of the band's lineup have come and gone. A.

Daybreak, Saves the Day's latest offering and first for new label Razor & Tie, has seen the kind of delays and setback usually reserved for Guns N' Roses albums. In the four years since the release of their last full-length, Under the Boards, three-quarters of the band's lineup have come and gone. Although initially intended to be released shortly after that album, Daybreak arrives after the longest gap between Saves the Day albums to date.

The album opens with the over 10-and-a-half-minute "Jesus of Suburbia"-esque title track. The most surprising thing about it is how well it actually works. Sure, the electronic drums in the midsection are a little cheesy (Smoking Popes tried something similar to this with "Excuse Me, Coach"), but for the most part it's a success, and feels more like four separate entities than a long, drawn-out rock opera. It's clear from the outset that the band has come a long, long way from the Lifetime aping of their early years.

From then on, it's much more conventional Saves the Day affair (although those annoying electronic drums do show up again in "Chameleon"). "Let It All Go" and "Deranged & Desperate" would fit nicely on 2001's Stay What You Are, were it not for the nasally vocal approach Conley adopted somewhere around 2006. The mid-tempo "Z" has an eerie, brooding vibe that recalls the group's most under-appreciated album, 2003's In Reverie.

Lyrically, there is a tinge of optimism not felt from the band in quite some time, especially on the second half of the album. But the first half is just as depressing as their last couple offerings. "1984", perhaps the catchiest song on the album, opens with the phrase "I'm dead inside and dying more every day."

Daybreak is the first Saves the Day album since 1998's Can't Slow Down to not feature guitarist David Soloway. His presence is missed, but the biggest difference between Daybreak and Under the Boards is the lack of rhythm section of Manuel Carrera and Durijah Lang, both members of Glassjaw, who added a hint of complexity and technicality to that album's otherwise simple pop-rock songs. Daybreak doesn't have that, but the songs are good enough to stand on their own.

Even though Conley is the only remaining member of the Under the Boards lineup, Daybreak feels like a logical followup to that album, belated as it may be. The album concludes a trilogy that began with 2006's Sound the Alarm and continued with the following year's Under the Boards. It isn't the greatest thing that's ever been laid to tape under the Saves the Day moniker, but it is a respectable addition to an already beloved catalog. By this point, the group have carved out their own niche in the emo/pop-punk world, and fans belonging to that sect will find plenty to like here.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

greg0rb (September 14, 2011)

It's such a good album, he's gonna dip his BAAALLLLS IN IT!

holy_balls (September 13, 2011)

bakonbeatz (September 13, 2011)

Oop, we've got the holy_balls seal of approval. I think that means something.

holy_balls (September 13, 2011)

while saves the day is my favorite band, i was worried i would be disappointed in this album because my musical taste has changed so much and i didn't really care for under the boards. thankfully,i was proven wrong. this album is so good. i can't stop gushing about it.

i-type-poorly (September 13, 2011)

Because I grew out of the very NJ scene and time that made Saves The Day, I've always felt an obligation to get their albums; although Sound The Alarm and Stay What You Are are the only really good ones, none have been bad.

I'll check this one out, even if it is just Conley & co at this point.

greg0rb (September 13, 2011)

From first listen I can safely say this is the best STD record since In Reverie. And In Reverie has stood the test of time better than any of their other records, though Stay and Cool top it in awesomeness. Probably tops at least Can't Slow Down (kinda boring ripoff as we all know), and the last two.

Therraunch (September 13, 2011)

I truly enjoy this record, I don't see it leaving my player for a while.

Megalife (September 13, 2011)

A(nother) huge disappointment from this band. Similar to the last 3 records, Daybreak is 1 or 2 good songs buried inside a pile of b-sides and other fluff described as "progression" or "maturation". I'm convinced Chris Conely sees himself as some post-modern Moses; he has a special message and must deliver his people from the slavery of records that are fun to listen to...parting waters ( more like dredging the bottom of the lake) for swoony skies and a kitsch-laden love songs. Just because you hate what you were when we were all 20 somethings doesn't me that we do...in fact, your band, Mr. Conely was one of the soundtracks. I'm going to listen to Frank Turner...at least he knows how to do what you're trying to.

aorta (September 13, 2011)

I hate you for making me say this, but The Black Parade shits all over this record. Not that they should even be compared, since TBP was MCR's attempt at arena rock/hair metal and this is just another crappy saves the day record (the title track is the only track that is not business as usual).

bakonbeatz (September 13, 2011)

I'm liking it a lot. It's like a progressive In Reverie (which I actually consider to be their best). I kept thinking "this is what The Black Parade would have sounded like if MCR had done it right".

paulrulzdood (September 13, 2011)

looking forward to getting this.

"in reverie" is under appreciated. An argument can be made that its their best album. It was just so dramatically different than Through Being Cool and SWYA that there was an instant and expected backlash to its mellow/moody/haunted feel. But the melodies in "she", "tomorrow too late", "driving in the dark" and "in reverie" are wonderful, almost Paul McCartney-esque. And "anywhere with you", while it lacks some oomph on record, is a live staple for good reason.

but TBC will likely always be my favorite, but its been great to enjoy this ride over the past decade and all of the stylistic and lineup twists and turns that have come with it.

Paul

uncle_leo (September 13, 2011)

Since when did "under appreciated" come to mean "terrible"?

bart-blank (September 13, 2011)

For me this record is much different from the others, here's too little "magic" that have been on previous records. There are some decent songs but not as many as it shoud have.

aorta (September 13, 2011)

sorry, i just can't get behind chris's new voice. loved the first three albums, liked in reverie, but since then it's all been awful. the tunes are okay, but it doesn't even matter if I can't even tolerate his "singing."

drunkwithpower (September 13, 2011)

Manuel Carrera and Durijah Lang made all the difference in this band, their absence is felt more than anything

Michael_Jackson_Jordan (September 12, 2011)

To me this album seems like the logical bridge between In Reverie, and the other two were just kinda like Chris was searching to find his sound again but kept getting sidetracked with members coming and going. I've read some people giving the band slack because Chris is the only original member left standing but when you consider they have just as many or more albums with different lineups as they do with the same lineup, you have to admit that Saves the Day is Chris' project in the same way as (and this is just for comparison's sake) Nine Inch Nails is Trent Reznor. I know it's not incredible but I'm happy that Chris sounds like he has his shit together this time with his new mates.