[Jeffrey]

Except for a couple exceptions, the extra songs on the re-issue were pretty bad.

On Say Anything's purevolume.com page, they have a new song, "We Will Erase All Life on Earth," and it's quite good. Unlike the dance-tinged "Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too," which I thought might herald a new direction for Bemis, "We Will Erase All Life on Earth" mines familiar territory, but does so well - it feels like a track that would have fit on ...is a real boy, not a b-side to it, but a companion track. Bemis writes lyrics fitting a protagonist of a Lethem novel, and his music renders most post-powerpop (emo?) obsolete.

[thelitguy]

I've had ...Is A Real Boy in my CD player for a solid week, listening to it at least 3 times in every sitting.

I've decided it very well might possibly be the greatest album of the 2000s so far.

I love how every song seems so epic in its 4 minute play time. At the end of every song, you have the feeling you've listened to something important. And that is exactly how I want to feel after songs. Having 13 of them in a row is just amazing.

Am I the only one this impacted by the album?

[Danny]

Whoa, I'm on CGR!

Originally Posted by thelitguy

Am I the only one this impacted by the album?

Nope. I'd not call it the best of the decade so far (Lateralus, 10,000 Days and Thirteenth Step come to mind, for a start...yes, I know I'm a fanboy), but other than that I totally agree with you. It's probably on my top-ten-of-all-time list. (But then, I'm one of those uncultured wannabe music snobs whose top-ten list is comprised mostly of music from the last 15 years or so.) I've always thought it was one of the more emotionally impacting albums I've ever heard. Say Anything is really one of those bands that makes you look at an entire genre in a new light. Pop-punk isn't just for shallow, mindless fun anymore.

[Mattlock]

...Is a Real Boy is probably one of my favorite albums ever released. Max is such a brilliant songwriter.

"Belt" and "I Want to Know Your Plans" are my two faves.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by Note from Max on MySpace

Howevever, I just wanted to let you know we are beginning rehearsals and preproduction for our sophomore album, which will be entitled "In Defense of the Genre". Brad Wood will be producing the record. He has recorded and produced many amazing albums from artists such as Sunny Day Real Estate, Liz Phair, The Smashing Pumpkins and the Foo Fighters to name but a few. You younger folk may know Brad's work with bands like Mewithoutyou and the Working Title. We love Brad and can't wait to start recording in New York City.

The record is another "story" album, this time detailing my struggles with mental health offset by finding love for the first time in my life. I am also happy to say my vocal skills have improved vastly due to 3 years on the road. I don't want to give away too much but suffice to say the lyrics are even more dark, heartfelt, personal and humorous and the songs are catchier and more fun to listen to, at least for me.

Update

[Pre-Ex-Girlfriend]

That news just made my day, and possibly even my week!

Catchier songs? I fail to see how this is possible, so I shall eagerly anticipate this new album.

[Skeeter]

This is indeed exciting. I am eagerly anticipating the new album.

[Jeffrey]

I cannot wait. ...is a real boy is one of the top ten albums of the first decade of the 21st century, in my opinion.

[Skeeter]

I've probably listened to ...is a Real Boy more than any other album I own. The two times I've seen them live have been some of the best shows I've been to as well.

[Sean]

Album update

Originally Posted by Max on MySpace

hey y'all

bemis reporting in on our continuing recording progress.
we are about 65-70 percent done tracking our new record, In Defense of
the Genre. the rest will be done here in los angeles.
we are trying to keep a lot of **** under wraps for the fun of it, but
just to torture you i'll reveal a few details about what we've done so
far.

a) we've completed drums, bass and guitar on 95 percent of the songs
except for a few strangely arranged ones that will involve much more
than drums bass and guitar.alex is playing all the bass on the record,
wheras I (Max) played the bass on... Is a Real Boy.

b) we recorded most of the record at quite-famous electric lady studios
in new york city (built by hendrix). we even tracked a lot of the
record in the same room that weezer recorded the blue album in, and
most recently guns n' roses completed their unreleased opus.

c) as of now there are A LOT of songs on the record.

d) our friends from various projects and bands will be involved in
singing and playing on the record.

e) the record is another "concept album" (god help us) but this time
(tentatively) the songs will appear in order of the story they tell,
which is far more direct and personal than the last record's story.

f) brad wood is producing our record. he produced sunny day real
estate's first two records as well as liz phair's and albums by
placebo,smashing pumpkins, mewithoutyou, that dog and more. he is our
dawg, and doing an amazing job.

g) this record will be the best say anything music you've heard thus
far, at least in our opinion. i mean we're four years ****ing older,
max is four times dirtier and crazier, coby's got four times as much
party in him, and alex has quadrupled his collection of gnomes,
bathsoaps and other hippy ****. the point is, we are proud of what
we've created; it's not just somethign new but something deeply
connected to the direction the music has been going for the 8 years of
this band's existence..

we plan on doing a bunch of oh-so-fun press surrounding the album so
check back here for a few new interviews in the near future that will
reveal even more about the record.

thanks for your patience,
max and say anything

Lots of new Say Anything, and Axel finally finished recording "Chinesse Democracy." This is quite an exciting year!

[Mattlock]

If they can top ...Is a Real Boy...

Well I don't want to think that hard.

[Skeeter]

I believe the correct term for how I'm feeling right now is "stoked."

[Sean]

Here's some clips from an interview with Max from Absolute Punk.net. It's a pretty good interview. They asked some very interesting questions.

Originally Posted by Max from Absolute Punk

Should people expect an album that is ...Is a Real Boy part two?

Pretty much. The record picks up in my life where the last one left off because it is very autobiographical, even more so than the last record. Musically, it’s different, more mature and somewhat more cohesive and poppy, but darker in a whole different way. I would compare it to the difference between the first Foo Fighters record and the second one, or maybe between Saves the Day’s Through Being Cool and Stay What You Are.

Please sell me on the new album - what do you have prepped for it?

It’s going to be good? A lot of our friends are singing on it … my voice has improved a lot since the last record. There are 26 songs currently slated for the record. It’s much more rock n’roll and sounds better (or maybe just different, bigger.) It’s catchier, funnier, and much much much more personal There is more range in subject matter and the feel of the songs whereas every song on Is a Real Boy was about sexual frustration or anger. A lot of it is very literal so if you’re interested in relating to the songwriter very personally you’ll be into it.

Do you have a vision for the new album or are you letting it unfold in the studio?

I always have somewhat of a vision before I go into the studio. However, this time I had the song arranged in the order in which they will appear because they specifically tell a story, as opposed to the last record which was much more loosely based on it’s story and reality.

Why so many tracks?

Because the songs are shorter and it took this many songs to complete the story I wanted to tell. I like them all, too.

Do you ever feel that too much could be a bad thing for a culture bred on 3-minute pop-songs?

There are a lot of 3-minute pop songs on the record. Very little “filler” I’d like to think (i.e. no 8 minute musical shoe gaze jam sessions.) It’s packed with lyrics and (hopefully you’ll agree) hooks.

Can you explain the “concept” behind the new album?

It’s the story of being alone and losing my mind and then overcoming that event by learning to trust and let go of that anger and fall in love for the first time. It’s also about losing that love and the confusion that entails after, and the nature of first love; discovering what you really want whether it be to give yourself totally to someone or explore the endless abyss and risk losing your mind again and that love.

[Jeffrey]

Two acoustic versions of "...is a real boy" tracks are up on a new Purevolume account. Max spread the word via MySpace.

http://www.purevolume.com/albums/say...studiosessions

I meant, it's okay, but doesn't really add much or really offer too compelling of a take on the songs. Also, diehard Say Anything fans (and we are Legion) have been hearing these songs in various forms for something like three or four years. We're ready for new material!

[Danny]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

Two acoustic versions of "...is a real boy" tracks are up on a new Purevolume account. Max spread the word via MySpace.

http://www.purevolume.com/albums/say...studiosessions

I meant, it's okay, but doesn't really add much or really offer too compelling of a take on the songs. Also, diehard Say Anything fans (and we are Legion) have been hearing these songs in various forms for something like three or four years. We're ready for new material!

My thoughts exactly. I haven't even bothered to listen to them yet. I've seen all the live videos, and most of those are acoustic anyway, so I've already heard "acoustic versions" of both those songs.