By Christina Serednicki
Bayside, Long Island-based, four-piece alternative rock band, has had quite a productive fall thus far. Between the response to their newest record, “Shudder,” and their headlining fall/winter tour, cleverly named “The Involuntary Movement Tour,” they show no signs of slowing down.
“Shudder,” their sixth release with Victory Records, hit store shelves Sept. 30, as did “Live At The Bayside Social Club,” an album recorded in late August during a show exclusively for its fan club. Both albums were greatly anticipated by their fans, who have been tagged for years as a cult, after their dedication and support of the band was unrivaled.
Showing an indisputable lyrical progression since their first full-length “Sirens And Condolences” in 2004, Bayside has once again put forth a solid record. Frontman and lyricist Anthony Raneri’s vocals seem to improve with each release. He uses the unique tone and range of his voice to give the band an edge in what has become a very stale music scene.
“Shudder” exposes Raneri’s personality and innermost thoughts quite bluntly; the level to which the listener can connect and empathize is almost eerie.
The record starts off with a bang: hard-hitting guitar parts from Jack O’Shea shine and combine with the equally powerful talents of bassist Nick Ghanbarian and drummer Chris Guglielmo. The song, simply titled “Boy,” is a painfully honest look into the intimidation and apprehension that comes with diving into the world head first. “Go on, give up, you’ll never win/No crying now, they’re watching him/His blood will boil, the kids will sing/Learn to drown before you learn to swim.”
As the record progresses, Raneri expresses his stance on a myriad of topics, but finds refreshing ways of communicating his opinions. A quick wit and cynicism also shines through the lyrics, “I had high hopes of silver and gold, I thought this could change for the best/My mom always said I was named for a saint, but I’ve never felt I was blessed,” are lyrics from the first single, “No One Understands.”
As the record progresses, it is evident that every song is both lyrically and musically strong enough to stand on its own, each with a different feel to keep them from blending together. Of course, certain aspects of songs stick out, such as the undeniably intense, pulsating drum of “Rochambo (Rock, Paper, Scissors),” or the bouncing bass lines and robust guitar solo in “A Call To Arms.”
The record concludes with “Moceanu,” which seems as subdued and calming as “Boy,” but is roaring and forceful. Bayside puts an interesting spin on the final track, spelling out certain words of the song: “I’m s-i-c-k of my meaningless life/where c-h-a-n-c-e-s pass me by/That’s r-e-a-l-i-t-y.” Although completely acoustic, tambourines are incorporated towards the end, giving “Moceanu” an undeniably catchy spin.
“Live At The Bayside Social Club,” on the other hand, is a testament to the statement that “Bayside is a cult.” Through every song, the crowd sings every word after Raneri, never missing a beat. The highlights come when he backs away from the microphone and lets the crowd take over completely. Although the attendance for the show was under 100, a listener at home could very well think the room was packed with hundreds of people singing along.
If one of Bayside’s goals was to translate the electricity and sense of community at their live shows, they definitely got their point across. If the chorus of fans echoing each and every word back at the band wasn’t convincing enough, both the vocals and instrumentals sound right on point. Many artists seem unable to perform as well live as they do on their record, but “Live At The Bayside Social Club” proves that Bayside is definitely not one of those artists.
In support of “Shudder,” Bayside is hitting the road and headlining the Involuntary Movement Tour, with The Matches, Valencia and The Status as openings. The tour kicked off on Oct. 7 in Cleveland, Ohio and will wrap up at the legendary Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey on Nov. 16. The local “hometown” show of the tour will be Friday Nov. 14 at Irving Plaza in New York City. Since the new record has a more youthful, punk feel than previous releases, it will be interesting to see how the songs mesh together during a lengthy headlining set.
Bayside should rest easy knowing they don’t have anything to “Shudder” about after their two most recent releases, both equally impressive in their own right. They have once again produced an album that strays from the humdrum norm of the current alternative rock music scene, and will hopefully receive the credit and recognition it deserves for hard work and integrity.