Album Review: Say Anything - Oliver Appropriate

Despite forming in 2000 and losing a whopping 13 band members throughout the band’s life, Say Anything haven’t lost the iconic, emotionally grinding sound that drew them to attention all those years ago.

Vocalist Max Bemis blesses their eighth album with that same amatory bad boy sound, singing outrageously expressive tales of reclamation, sexuality, love and politics. The post-punk yet wildly emo sounds throughout will have you nostalgic for that MySpace profile you perfected back in '05.

The handful of minute-something-long songs on the 14-track record are a playful highlight full of surprises and diverse sounds. When I’m Acid brings out the mania in Bemis’ vocals, whereas Fired brings out their vulnerable and poetic side. A whole album sounding the way Fired does would go down a bloody treat. The problem with this album is that there are just a little too many unnecessary synthesised beats and distracting backing tracks throughout. Bemis has got a hell of a story to sing. With just he and the acoustic guitar, the troubling stories seem to grasp you that bit more — a style that could be more enticing to the new generation of emo.