Say Anything... Is A Real Boy indeed.
Say Anything is a self-proclaimed indie rock band hailing from Los Angeles, California. The band was started up when lead vocalist and front man, Max Bemis and drummer, Coby Linder were in high school. After a few years and many lineup changes, the duo finally signed to Doghouse Records and ...Is A Real Boy and it hit the scene in 2004.
This album, as Bemis stated, is about "the artistic struggle, the fact that every creative person has this sick ambition to affect some sort of change in society with their art, to be more than just a guy in a band or a poet or a sculptor." The songs were originally written and recorded to be a part of a rock opera, with a full cast and script, the plot revolving around an angst-filled singer/song writer based on Bemis himself. This character is afflicted with some strange curse that causes his inner-most thoughts spurt from his mouth at any given time, backed with full instrumentals. Although, unfortunately, supplying all the instruments except for drums and singing all day took it's toll on Bemis, and after walking the streets of Brooklyn in a "psychotic daze", he spent two weeks in a mental hospital. After this mishap, the band decided to drop the story line and concentrate on the music, although a snippet of the spoken script can be heard at the beginning of the opening track, entitled Belt.
Even though I think the rock opera would have been splendid, ...Is A Real Boy is honestly an amazing album, none the less. All the songs seem to have a different sound, proving the band does indeed have a unique sound and are able to create many diverse and different sounds. All of the songs are all around catchy, and the lyrics are to die for. Max Bemis has a way of making his lyrics honest, and manages to catch many aspects of the average teenager, as well as the every-day human being struggling with anxiety, love, sexual frustration, depression, and the never-ending hypocrisy of the world today.
Also, ...Is A Real Boy was re-released in 2006, to add a second disk entitled ...Was A Real Boy. It was originally meant to be demos for an AIDS charity record, but the band decided to hold the record off until their fan base had grown and they could raise more money. One of these songs include the popular hit, Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too, and Bemis states, "The songs focus on a period of exploration and confusion every young man or woman goes through, where they struggle to find what satisfies them sexually and emotionally." And in all honesty, I would not doubt that.
...Is A Real Boy tracklisting
1. Belt
2. Woe
3. The Writhing South
4. Alive With The Glory of Love
5. Yellow Cat (Slash) Red Cat
6. The Futile
7. Spidersong
8. An Orgy Of Critics
9. Every Man Has A Molly
10. Slowly, Through A Vector
11. Chia-Like, I Shall Grow
12. I Want To Know Your Plans
13. Admit It!!!
...Was A Real Boy tracklisting
1. Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too
2. Little Girls
3. Most Beautiful Plauge
4. It's A Metaphor Fool
5. Total Revenge
6. Metal Now
7. I Will Never Write An Obligatory Song About Being On The Road And Missing Someone
Source:
Say Anything's official biography
This album, as Bemis stated, is about "the artistic struggle, the fact that every creative person has this sick ambition to affect some sort of change in society with their art, to be more than just a guy in a band or a poet or a sculptor." The songs were originally written and recorded to be a part of a rock opera, with a full cast and script, the plot revolving around an angst-filled singer/song writer based on Bemis himself. This character is afflicted with some strange curse that causes his inner-most thoughts spurt from his mouth at any given time, backed with full instrumentals. Although, unfortunately, supplying all the instruments except for drums and singing all day took it's toll on Bemis, and after walking the streets of Brooklyn in a "psychotic daze", he spent two weeks in a mental hospital. After this mishap, the band decided to drop the story line and concentrate on the music, although a snippet of the spoken script can be heard at the beginning of the opening track, entitled Belt.
Even though I think the rock opera would have been splendid, ...Is A Real Boy is honestly an amazing album, none the less. All the songs seem to have a different sound, proving the band does indeed have a unique sound and are able to create many diverse and different sounds. All of the songs are all around catchy, and the lyrics are to die for. Max Bemis has a way of making his lyrics honest, and manages to catch many aspects of the average teenager, as well as the every-day human being struggling with anxiety, love, sexual frustration, depression, and the never-ending hypocrisy of the world today.
Also, ...Is A Real Boy was re-released in 2006, to add a second disk entitled ...Was A Real Boy. It was originally meant to be demos for an AIDS charity record, but the band decided to hold the record off until their fan base had grown and they could raise more money. One of these songs include the popular hit, Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too, and Bemis states, "The songs focus on a period of exploration and confusion every young man or woman goes through, where they struggle to find what satisfies them sexually and emotionally." And in all honesty, I would not doubt that.
...Is A Real Boy tracklisting
1. Belt
2. Woe
3. The Writhing South
4. Alive With The Glory of Love
5. Yellow Cat (Slash) Red Cat
6. The Futile
7. Spidersong
8. An Orgy Of Critics
9. Every Man Has A Molly
10. Slowly, Through A Vector
11. Chia-Like, I Shall Grow
12. I Want To Know Your Plans
13. Admit It!!!
...Was A Real Boy tracklisting
1. Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too
2. Little Girls
3. Most Beautiful Plauge
4. It's A Metaphor Fool
5. Total Revenge
6. Metal Now
7. I Will Never Write An Obligatory Song About Being On The Road And Missing Someone
Source:
Say Anything's official biography
I f*cking love them. :)
Tahm York, June 25th, 2008 at 05:43:52am
This blog excites me, I'll check them out!
Skippy., June 23rd, 2008 at 02:25:17am
Wow, the whole story behind that album is incredibly intriguing. I've heard of the band but I had no idea all that went on behind their music and hadn't bothered to check them out. I definitely will now. Thanks :]
Miley Cyrus, June 21st, 2008 at 11:26:06pm