The Anthem Of Your Underground (Stay What You Are - Saves The Day)

Member Name: rleigh

Product:	Stay What You Are - Saves The Day
Date:	11/02/08 (47 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Beautifully melodic and soothing music.

Disadvantages: Not everyone will appreciate the vocals or in fact the music in general.

Saves The Day are a four-piece from New Jersey, a band who once were more of a Melodic Hardcore/Emo band than anything else, but now occupy more of an Indie Rock sound. Their 'Stay What You Are' album I would say blurs the boundaries of Indie Rock and Emo; it's not entirely either but what can be said of it is that it's an excellent album.

'Stay What You Are' begins with the fantastic track 'At Your Funeral', the first I ever heard from the band and the one that drew me to listening to any further of their music. I first heard this one when its video was played on Kerrang TV back in 2001, it really caught my eye and the music was absolutely beautiful. Everything about 'At Your Funeral' appeals to me and I feel that it is probably one of my favourite songs from recent years. It's now nearly seven years on and I still play it almost as heavily as when I first heard it, a true sign of a sensational track. Beautifully melodic and ever a joy to listen to, as Saves The Day progress through their 'Stay What You Are' album they never disappoint.

Not only does Saves The Day 2001 release include 'At Your Funeral', but 'Freakish' also; another of my favourites of theirs. There is something greatly infectious and highly hooking about 'Freakish', it is a track that I can play over and over without tiring of. It truly is a masterpiece of a track and I believe it shows the band in their most positive light. It is when the band are producing emotional anthems such as this that I feel they are at their best. Their music tends to have a similar sort of sound on all of this album, but a couple of tracks definitely stand out a little more than the others, this ultimately being one of them. 'Certain Tragedy' is another, however this one makes itself known to you in a slightly different way. 'Certain Tragedy' is a little faster and edgier than the majority of the tracks here and therefore when listening to this album it is one that you can't help but notice. Although it is that tiny bit faster than the others, it is still just as melodic and as perfect a beautiful pop tinged Indie/Emo anthem as ever. The guitars on this one come belting through and this really helps to put the track across and allow it to stand out from the others here.

Saves The Day are a great band, this was only their third album and was released nearly seven years ago now but is definitely one that I would recommend. Released on Vagrant Records (a record label the band have incidentally re-signed to since having released one album on the now defunct DreamWorks Record Label), this is most certainly one of my favourite releases from Saves The Day and is one that I would wholeheartedly recommend to all. It is melodic music which you can sit back and relax to, taking in the harmonious and effervescent flavours of Saves The Day. Their 'Stay What You Are' album is warm and friendly, an album that is great for chilling to after a hard days work. Admittedly not an album for all, some may find the music a little too bitter-sweet for their liking, but with their 'Stay What You Are' album the band are asking a lot of questions of the world and their thirst for knowledge and lust for life is boundless. Saves The Day have matured greatly since releasing this album, but hearing them pondering such questions as are asked here and entering in their quest for maturity is always excellent to hear.

Summary: Saves The Day are an excellent band and their 'Stay What You Are' album is well worth a listen.