Say Anything – … Is A Real Boy

So I may be almost two years late for Say Anything, but I think I’m about to jump onto the Max Bemis bandwagon like everyone else seems to be. I mean, after hearing …Is A Real Boy, how could do I not?

You see, for those of you who don’t know, Max Bemis is the mastermind behind Say Anything and he does absolutely everything on this album, guitar, bass, keyboard, vocals, everything except the drums. And he has crafted a solid, thirteen track which will easily be able to stand the test of time. It’s not following the trend of emo and screamo, and its not a CD you rock to for a month and then forgot – no, … Is A Real Boy is an unique album with the perfect blend of acoustic, rock, and folk. Think for a second of a mixture between The Weakerthans, Bright Eyes and most prominently The Honorary Title – and you can get an idea of Bemis’ Say Anything. Proving even more that this CD isn’t one that will soon be forgotten is the simple fact that it wasn’t instantly catchy. It took a while to get into it, but halfway through the album you start to really appreciate all the little things Bemis has done. The brutal, ironic honesty of his lyrics shock you as he takes ironic stabs towards relationships, every day life, the music industry, and even the “punk rock” lifestyle. The simple claps pushing the song forward. The spoken word rant on Admit It!, everything adds together for a good solid album.

But it’s not even that which makes Bemis’ songs so memorable, it’s how everything comes together so perfectly – particularly with the vocals. Not only are Bemis’ vocals strong and confident, but he has chosen the perfect set of backup vocalists to help him out. With a total of 24 people being credited for vocals on the album, it’s plain to see that … Is A Real Boy features a wide range of vocal harmonies and combinations. It’s a great mix of gang vocals in the background, dueling vocals, and even the occasional female vocals layered in between for the more delicate portions. Take one listen to the phenomenal, vocally driven Every Man Has A Molly and you can see how the gang vocals can be used to really push a song forward.

So, even though I think the statement that “Max Bemis is God” is a little over hyped, I will agree that he knows how to make a good song and a great album. And plus, if you pick up Say Anything … Is A Real Boy now, you get a bonus demo CD with 7 brand new demos on it for you to enjoy.