Music Review: Bayside – Vacancy
One of the swiftest criticisms often given to Bayside is how they rarely try anything new in their music. The criticism usually has the same tone, whose estuary then comes to the conclusion that Bayside is playing too safe, repeating something they've done before, until they're afraid to try something new. Criticism is not without a basis, when we hear the name Bayside, usually have formed ideas in our minds about how the characteristics of the music they play. But if we examine further, they do not always play the same pattern, some experiments they ever do, the most easily encountered example is on the song "On Love, On Life."
Counting already more than a decade Bayside plays music that they believe and I think they are very consistent in doing that. Although not everything is spectacular, I do not think there is a single release from them that can be said to be really bad. On August 19, 2016 yesterday, Bayside released their 7th album under the name Vacancy under the label Hopeless Records. Of course it is interesting to listen to whether they remain faithful to their consistency or change the will to silence the swift criticism that requires them to dare to experiment.
When we talk about Bayside, it seems impossible for us not to talk about the band's frontman, Anthony Raneri. Anthony is the mastermind behind Bayside as well as being the main mouthpiece for the band in delivering messages through his very distinctive voice. Anthony's very distinctive vocal vocals give a special color to Bayside music, as if everything just blends in. However, when we start hearing the combination of Anthony Raneri's vocals and Jack O'Shea's guitar leads, we'll just believe that they're the only band out there that plays music like this. It may be said when we begin to unite them, Bayside is really on a different level. Not Bayside name if not open something with an explosion, when we start listening to Vacancy we will immediately served a cruel riff, really typical Bayside. Jack O'Shea's really like being crazy here. Some of his guitar stuff sounded wildly uncontrollable, even when Anthony was singing, Jack still loyal to the moment he experienced. It is a bit difficult to judge which part is the best of Jack's guitar stuffing because all the parts of the guitar that he did have his own moment. For example, in the song "I've Been Dead All Day", we can hear Jack O'Shea enjoying his part while filling up this song with an absurd guitar lick technique.
Interestingly, the song "I've Been Dead All Day" is evidence from Bayside that they never stuck to the same grip when writing songs. Do not expect you to find a standard song structure in this song, if you expect an ordinary interlude when chorus 2 is over, you're wrong. After chorus 2 ended they just had fun with a fairly unorthodox song structure by entering the vibe part of one of their songs on Killing Time's album, "On Love, On Life".
Not only experimenting with the structure of songs, Bayside also seemed eager in trying various instruments to be included into this song. When we listen to verse 1, verse 2, and also verse 3, we will hear a piano stuff that becomes the basis for all melodies in that section. Moreover, the piano provides an interesting dynamic because it gives the impression of a swing on a song that should sound harsh. In addition, several times they heard also change the tap on this song, as it sounded in the minutes to 2.00 to 2.07 minutes. It needs to be discussed also how they put quite a lot of vocal harmonization on this album. Such details will ultimately help us to better appreciate what Bayside has been writing for so long.
The song "Pretty Vacant" may be their flagship single for this album and it must be admitted that the song does have a very strong base, ranging from catchy guitar melodies to the innate traits of Anthony Raneri.
But, beyond the song "Pretty Vacant", in fact they save some songs that have the potential to become big on this album, the song "Mary" is one of them. This song if we compare, actually even more suitable incorporated into the discography of The Menzingers. A punk rock song with pop punk influences that is quite commanding and very easy listening. I think, If there is one song from Bayside on this album that can easily fit into the top 40 chart, this song will do it.
However, behind all the glorious composition of music they offer, I actually feel the strongest points of this album is on the writing of the lyrics. Anthony Raneri really made the lyrics on this album feel alive. When he started singing the first verse of the song "Mary", "I met Mary on a moonless night.", We are not listening to the curhatan of a vocalist pop punk band in general, instead I feel that Anthony Raneri is a poet who wrote songs just for fun only. The reason is simple, he really mastered it.
Some of the lyrics that Anthony Raneri wrote on the album sound quite personal, as in the song "It's Not as Depressed as It Sounds", where Anthony Raneri sounded calming himself or on the song "I've Been Dead All Day" where Anthony is comparing himself with Abraham / Abraham. Even on the most sing along-able song, "It Does not Make It True", Anthony still puts on a really catchy hook, which makes the lyrics he sang to have substance, feels important. "Boys to the back and men to the front of the room / And if you think you've got something missing / You probably do.". Even so, certainly not easy to write a flawless album.
The song "Rumspringa (Heartbreak Rod)" which became the liaison between the first part of the album and the second part of the album actually sounded mediocre for an album that should have the potential to become the best album from Bayside. The only thing that makes this song intolerable is the guitar solo from Jack O'Shea. In addition to the song, I do not think there are any other problems that are annoying enough to make this album casual.
Vacancy is a truly shocking album. When you get bored with Bayside music that is considered so-so only. They are actually doing the breakthrough by writing the most refreshing albums in their career journey. Maybe this is not their best album, but obviously this is one of the albums they deserve to be proud of in their discography. With this album Bayside has shown that consistency proves to bring more measurable results and sounds clear Bayside has mastered ways to be consistent.