Review: Saves The Day - Under The Boards

Posted on 28 December 2007 | 8 Comments

Filed Under: Album Reviews, Punk

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So what the heck happened to Saves The Day? After releasing two solid albums (1999’s Through Being Cool and 2001’s Stay What You Are) it seemed that they were poised to make that crossover from pop-punk upstarts into mainstream consciousness. Then they released In Reverie to underwhelming reviews. It is an album that I still don’t like or understand and a strange move for the band. After hearing their 2005 album Sound The Alarm, I didn’t fall in love with Saves The Day again, but I thought the band might be moving back in the right direction. Evidently I was wrong.

Their recently-released sixth full-length Under The Boards is awful. Sure, Saves The Day has gone through a ton of members and Chris Conley is the only original member currently in the band, but what happened? Conley’s voice is worse than ever and the songs are as forgettable as 1/2 the names on the Mitchell Report. The music is occasionally really solid and promising and a few of the songs are catchy, but the overall lack of quality songs and terrible vocals (mainly the horribly bad barely-able-to-carry-a-tune vocals of Conley) isn’t nearly enough for this record to succeed. And while this doesn’t take away from the greatness of the band’s early days (1998-2001), I’m not sure what Vagrant was thinking when they agreed to release this piece of crap.

As a former fan, I’m really disappointed with Under The Boards, especially after listening to Through Being Cool last night on our drive to Pennsylvania for New Year’s. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

MP3 | Saves The Day – Under The Boards Under The Boards
MP3 | Saves The Day – When I’m Not There Under The Boards

Comments

1 atak-serca - 209 days ago I agree. I am not really into newer Saves the Day either. To me it doesn't sound as raw as their previous releases. Personally, I stopped listening when Stay What You Are was released. I didn't like it that much.

A lot of bands make me feel this way.

2 Anonymous - 209 days ago as i'm late in the day to saves the day, if that makes sense, i don't mind the stuff i've heard from the recent albums, but the earlier material is stronger and rawer, and therefore better, the new stuff sounds a bit more emo and whiney

3 Ape Mummy - 208 days ago I remember all but throwing rotten tomatoes at these guys at St. Andrews Church in DC about 10 years ago, begging for something a little less Lifetime-derivative. It's therefore strange to me that I keep going back to those two EVR albums..."Through Being Cool" is really damn good.

4 Eric Grubbs - 207 days ago I like a few of their songs, but I really like "Driving in the Dark" from In Reverie. I've never been a huge fan of this band.

5 Steve - 201 days ago I actually thought that Sound The Alarm was a pretty damn good album, though I agree -- the new one is awful.

I have no idea how to describe what's happened with this band. There aren't many bands who have been THIS close to breaking through and then completely lost the ability to write or sing music.

6 Ahmad - 200 days ago AGREED...sort of. I agree that In Reverie was certainly a surprise. But for what it is, a pop-rock album, it isn't half bad at all. Sound the Alarm was a push in the right direction, but to me it seemed like too hard of a push; they seemed to being going for the raw punk sound exhibited on Can't Slow Down, but ultimately missed the genuine feel of it. For what they are now, a pony all out of tricks, my brief listen to Under the Boards seems to be a better album than Sound the Alarm just because it doesn't sound like my 13 year old brother's punk band wrote it. In any case, R.I.P. Saves the Day. You will be missed.

7 Anonymous - 199 days ago Always thought they were decent, until they put out Stay What You Are and I was blown away. I love that album. Some of the last few albums seems like it should be Chris Conley solo material. Oh well, I still like most of it. They'll never be the pop/punk hardcore band of the late 90's. So you may as well give up on them or accept it for what it is.

8 Anonymous - 196 days ago Saves the Day is an incredible band that has suffered a lot throughout the years they've been active. While they did make a mark on the emo movement, they made a huge change with "In Reverie" specifically because Chris didn't want to be associated with the emo stereotype. The lack of original members has indeed had an effect on their sound, and no band ever sounds the same from the start of their career to the finish, but Saves the Day's track record has been pretty impressive, excepting "In Reverie." "Sound the Alarm" was a move in the right direction, and "Under the Boards" is even better. Chris's vocals have never been particularly good, but at least he's a little more on-key than in the past. Let's not forget that this is the second chapter in a three-album story. That has a lot to do with the sound on the more recent albums. All in all, I applaud their more recent efforts to shift back to their previous sound.