Bayside - Shudder: CD Review

Bayside claimed that they wanted their new album to be a return to form, a "punk" record full of aggressive, fast and straight-forward songs. Shudder delivers on this promise much of the time, but there are still some weird bits that you'd think this band would have worked out by now. First off is the metal-like guitar parts that pop up in a number of songs and feel completely out of place. Yeah, by now you could call those part of the "Bayside sound," but they have always made what could have been perfectly good pop-punk songs into slightly awkward creations with jarring shifts. Luckily another aspect the band have kept intact is singer Antony Raneri's excellent melodies that often break through the typically low glass ceiling of punk vocal lines.

"Boy" is a fantastic opener and also a prime example of the metal guitar licks. A driving intro, complete with a tad of piano plonking starts things of with a big dose of excitement. This is the "punk" sound Raneri talked about, but then we get tiny pick screams throughout the verses making it feel like Zack Wylde showed up to lay down some lead guitar work. Still, the chorus is too perfect to be effected. The chords march up the guitar neck, while the drums pound ahead and Raneri drops a melody made for massive sing-a-longs. Later he tackles this part alone with just a palm-muted guitar backing him and its a testament to some great songwriting.

"The Ghost of St. Valentine" works much the same way with a few awkward moments full of un-needed shredding being overshadowed with a propulsive piece of pop smarts. The guitars blaze, the drums jackhammer, and Raneri sings like a pop-star to much success. Add a funky little breakdown and you've got yourself a solid tune.

First single, "No One Understands," comes next and within the first 30 seconds of the song you know Bayside have a hit on their hands. Yeah, it's a typical pop-punk formula full of chunky palm-muting and bouncing transitions, but sometimes that's all you need to write a dangerously catchy song.

"What and What Not" brings back the screaming leads and soar-thumb moments. Raneri dishes out another decent melody, but the song seems to lack a bit of passion as well as direction. Plus there are those bizarre and chunky riffs that sound like they would be more at home on a nu-metal song. It's almost frustrating to hear after a great trio of songs. You want Bayside to learn from their mistakes and they can't quite do it here.

Up next "A Call to Arms" is weird in a new and awkward way. A certain rockabilly swing gets interjected into the pop-punk formula and its pretty messy. The shuffling drums and up-stroked guitar work feels like a cliché experiment that each band must try, and inevitably fail at.

"I Can't Go Own" might be a cliché title but the slow jam makes for an interesting turn here. The guitar work sounds a bit like something from Jimmy Eat World thanks to its echoing layers. The problem is the song never really goes anywhere. The verses make for a great and moody foray, but the chorus is just flat and contrived.

Unfortunately the mid-album slump doesn't end there. "Demons" comes next and it sounds like a sub-par Alkaline Trio rip-off. The verses are drowned by hi-hat, while the metal guitar is back in full and annoying effect. Even the chorus seems to move in an unnatural way. To make matters worse this is one of Raneri's worst melodies. Even all the phaser on the guitars can't make things interesting here.

"Have Fun Storming the Castle" acts as a nice turning point even if the bad metal licks are all over the song's intro. Raneri has penned another killer melody, while the song pounds away with a sense of abandon. Still, this track can't compare to the great album openers.

Next up comes the one, two bomb dropping of "Howard" and "Roshambo." The former is too metal to even discuss here, while the latter sees a band trying to play a fast song and not really being able to keep up with it. The drums sound off, and the guitars sound too removed, while Raneri's vocals fail to blend with the track.

I'd like to say the album closes out on a good not, but after this comes the Sum-41 aping "I Think I'll be Ok" and the sea shanty that is "Moceanu." Both are huge letdowns yet again with the latter mostly consisting of Raneri spelling out a number of words, and no, I'm not kidding.

After a fantastic start that emphasizes just what Bayside do so well all we get is song after song of good ideas turned into failures. It's a disappointing outcome from a band that has a ton of potential.