Actually it’s pretty hard to place Bayside in one genre. While the drums sound really like some nice up-tempo rock (most of the times), the vocals remind me more to emo bands like labelmates Silverstein. The guitars are another point. They vary quite a lot between every song. From Franz Ferdinand alike guitars to Nirvana influenced music. It’s all there! And in case you hate Franz Ferdinand, please don’t be distracted because I mentioned this band, the music on its own isn’t really comparable fortunately!

 

Lyrically I’ve got to give this band my credits as well because in some way they impressed me pretty much. Not only is there place for some humour in it, it all seems to be so real and tragic. Actually I would be quite surprised if these lyrics aren’t based on real life. On the other hand though, there’s just so much trouble and misery in them; that I can only hope that these lyrics aren’t based on someone’s life. One piece of lyric I would like to mention is a humorous piece though: I’d grab your head by your hair and I’d hack it off. And put it on display at the front of the yard on a stick with a little pink bow and a sign that says: “Her friends and family should have taught her more about love”.

 

So, musically it all sounds pretty ok, lyrically the music is even better but then there’s the artwork. Ouch! This just sucks! I’m sorry guys, but it just seems that you didn’t want to put any energy in that piece of the album. Hopefully there won’t be too much people who are going to judge this album on its artwork because that would definitely ‘kill’ this band. In short: the artwork is for more than 50% almost completely white, not really attracting right?!

 

All in all I’d still like to recommend this band to those of you who got interested by this review. For those of you who didn’t get interested, try the song ‘Devotion And Desire’ and then judge for yourself. Personally I just love that song!