Say Anything - Say Anything Is A Real Boy (CD)

All Music Guide

Despite some of the hype surrounding its release, Say Anything's selfdescribed rock opera …is a Real Boy still caught many in the punk scene offguard, seemingly coming out of nowhere with its theatrical tone and critical, perceptive lyrical makeup. At the helm of the album is the selfconscious twentysomething singer/songwriter Max Bemis, who ultimately is Say Anything: he wrote and plays pretty much everything but percussion on the record. The songs were originally written as part of a play, complete with a cast of characters, full story and spoken interludes. A riseandfall plot of sorts, the storyline was to be: a band is mediocre until its idealistic front man (who also suffers from alienation and anxiety in a world of hypocrisy) becomes cursed to spew his innermost thoughts in the form of honest songs that alter the band into wildly popular stars before their own hypocrisy leads to their undoing. And though the proposed storyline didn't completely transfer to the album, it's alm...ost too easy to see parallels between the real band and the madeup one, envisioning Bemis (with his own history of anxiety, depression and paranoia) as the actual hyperaware lead character. Sure, one could look at this album as selfindulgent, overzealous and egocentric, but when the songs are as catchy, cutting, and enjoyable as these, it really doesn't matter. The compelling rock of "Belt" starts things off with its thuggish army of background singers, leading into the selfconscious, wry realms of "Woe" (choice lyrics include: "she took pity on me, horizontally, but most likely because of my band"). Urgent drumbeats and harmonizing vocals open the singalong "Alive with the Glory of Love," a song that is so catchy, one almost forgets the dark, almost Holocaustlike nature of the lyrics (a sample line reads "when our cityÂ…falls to the axis, they'll search the buildings, collect gold fillings, wallets and ringsÂ…you'd look finer with each day in hiding"). Musically, the songs are about as full of life as you'll likely find on any indie/punk release this year, and Bemis' great lyrics only add to them. Criticisms on popular culture appear alongside selfdeprecating, introspective and sarcastic lines of love and fear. In "Every Man has a Molly," Bemis implores kids to spend a lot of money on band merchandise after his girlfriend breaks up with him for writing about her in songs ("because for you I won't ever have rough sex with Molly Connolly again"). At one point, he tells the industry to "go choke on your irony" ("The Futile"), and frustrations with today's scene come to a sharp peak in the confrontational and biting "Admit It" where an empowered Bemis raises two impassioned middle fingers to the elitist crowds that may reject him and his music. Considering the new school genre of punk that Say Anything is associated with and the audience the album is geared toward the record is quite ironic. After all, aren't some of the kids eating this music up the same ones with the elitist, condescending personas Bemis was reacting against in the first place? Either way, Â…is a Real Boy comes off as a welldone, multifaceted effort that deserves multiple spins. - Corey Apar, All Music Guide Read more Less