Bayside sound quite a lot like Alkaline Trio don't they? Admittedly they're from similar areas, hence the vocal comparisons, but even some of the song structures come across like a mix of 'From Here To Infirmary' and 'Maybe I'll Catch Fire' (circa the years when Alk3 weren't so shit). It's no bad thing - shit, if every album sounded as good as 'MICF' then the world would be one hell of a place to live. Bayside have always flattered to deceive for me - at times they're a band that show glimpses of potential, while at others they just drift on by. Their new self-titled record carries on this theme, although it's weighted enough in favour of the good rather than the filler.
'Bayside' gets off to a cracking start, as 'Helloshitty' and 'Devotion and Desire' are really catchy little slabs of dark-tinged punk rock. If he does pass resemblence to Matt Skiba, it doesn't affect the quality of Anthony Raneri's voice as he has a power and swagger which really suits the band. At times his versatility is highlighted well; 'Montauk' is a blinder, while 'Existing In A Crisis (Evelyn)' is probably the album's best song. The production is also pretty slick, although Shep Goodman and Kenny Giola were behind records by Mandy Moore and Aaron Carter, so you'd kind of hope for that.
There are a few failings, with songs like 'Blame It On Bad Luck', 'Don't Call Me Peanut' and a few of the other mid-tempo fillers knocking the score down by half a mark. Bayside have certainly improved in my eyes - 'Sirens and Condolences' was okay for what it was, but this probably rivals 'Crimson' in the quality stakes. Whether it will end up selling quite as many copies remains to be seen...
www.baysideisacult.com
Victory Records
Paul
