Anointing music-crazed followers for the sixth straight year, the self-proclaimed cult Bayside leaves no faithful ears undrenched with the sweat and blood that's rained from their chests and onto their latest offering, Shudder.
Although they may not be the most instrumentally technical band, they make up for what they lack in flash with unquestioned creativity and strong, bitter lyricism.
The track "Boy" kicks off the album in an up beat fashion, telling a tale about taking chances or, more importantly, the repercussions of being too scared to do so. Although the song's hero is an ordinary boy too afraid to take any risks, the album as a whole is anything but timid.
"Go on, give up, you'll never win/ No crying now, they're watching him/ His blood will boil, the kids will sing/ Learn to drown before you learn to swim," sings lead singer Anthony Raneri.
As with Bayside's previous work, there's no doubting that Raneri's lyricism stems from personal experience. His anger and emotion are almost palpable.
Lead single "No One Understands" leaves no question unanswered with its title. With a playful give and take between Raneri, guitarist Jack O'Shea and drummer Chris Guglielmo, this song about misunderstanding Raneri's trials and intent is given a light, pop-punk feel that's prime for radio play. Complimenting the music with creative metaphors and analogies, Bayside takes the listening experience to another level.
Although not given the coveted lead single status, "Howard" is arguably the best track on the album. Interestingly enough, it is about Howard Hughes.
OK, it's not entirely based on the aviator, but the band does take an offbeat approach to the song. Comparing Hughes's feelings as a common man and the misconception of celebrity and normality, Bayside dives into lyrical waters askew from their normal ox bows.
The chorus is where the strongest connection is drawn between the great Hughes and the every-day Joe.
"Even if our success was as good as dead/ our worst critics were in our head/ society don't accept me/ or you and all our friends agree," sings Raneri.
This song is an extremely unique endeavor that Bayside makes into something special. "Howard" continues to showcase Bayside's songwriting prowess, producing lyrics few bands could have pulled off.
In a day and age where most CDs are full of monotonous filler, Shudder offers a collection where each song is every bit as good as the last. And while it's not a complete masterpiece, Bayside's devotion and desire are more than apparent and will delight even the stingiest, most loveless listeners.
