Something is rotten in the state of punk today. It appears that punks can be just as stuck-up as the popped-collar preppy kids who stole their lunch money in middle school and their girls in high school. Undeniably, they both adhere to a predictable style of clothing, opinions and frequently look down on people who are different from them. It is simply part of the entirely natural adolescent struggle of fitting in, making friends and getting laid. Or is it?
Max Bemis was a neurotic singer/songwriter who set out to shake up the rigorous system of 21st century punk rock, with adamant guitar chords, a bursting synthesizer and cynical lyrics that mocked and scolded punks, hipsters and alternative conformers alike. The result was Say Anything with Bemis fronting the band on an array of instruments and writing all music himself.
Two years later, after canceling their last two tours due to Bemis's relapsing mental illness, Say Anything are headed toward their third attempt on the road in March and are in time for launching a reissue of Is a Real Boy, complemented with the seven track bonus disc Was a Real Boy. The album, originally released in Aug. 2004, was well-received within the alternative punk scene and marked the national breakthrough for the band.
Is a Real Boy is an explicit critique on the hypocrisy of the current alternative scene, covering everyone from artists to critics to fans. Now here comes the irony. Say Anything uses the exact method that they are critiquing to get their message forward. The music is well written and well performed but does not stick out particularly, following a rather conventional catchy punk scheme. In addition, the band certainly found the majority of their fans within the punk rock scene receiving hoards of appraisal and back-slaps from absolutepunk.net, online Mecca for punks.
So is Bemis merely throwing stones in a glass house? Is Say Anything an intriguing paradox or the worst hypocrite available in the business? If one takes Is a Real Boy for its irony and views it as a self-critical parody rather than a serious attack on the music industry, it radiates an admirable sense of humor, sassiness and originality. The bonus disc is a self-aware and fun addition to the original release, which evolves more around Bemis' personal struggles than the first disc. His satirizing lyrics and uncensored sense of (often self-mocking) humor are a true reminder of what makes Say Anything stand out from the crowd. Provocative lyrics such as "Don't you come near me /I'm a psycho. Whoa! / Don't come close to me / I'm a psycho. Whoa!" reveal an admirable amount of self-distance from the 19-year-old whose life seems to have been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, to say the least.
The most memorable song on the bonus disc is the opening "Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too". This is an inventive and sing-along friendly song that Julie Andrews never taught you. It is about, well, phone sex and Bemis' juvenile sense mischief and playfulness shine through in the chorus, "I called her on the phone and she touched herself / I laughed myself to sleep". The acoustic songs on Was a Real Boy stagger a bit and are only interesting the first couple listens, whereas Say Anything songs normally have the ability to reveal something new for every listen. All and all, the bonus disc follows in the spirit of Is a Real Boy and offers inventive lines and energy-packed music that is worth a listen if you have not heard it yet.
If there is anything truly hypocritical at all about the album, it is the reissuing of a year-and-a-half old album that is disturbing. No matter how vital Bemis felt the connection between Is a Real Boy and Was a Real Boy to be, it seems too much of a moneymaking trick to be in line with the anti-corporate image. Releasing the bonus disc as a separate EP out of courtesy to fans who are actually interested in purchasing the new songs but don't want to empty their pockets buying the same full-length again would have been a sincere gesture. The cancelled tours, though beyond the band's control, have already generated a certain amount of frustration.
Is a Real Boy is successful as a tragicomic punk rock farce. The addition of the bonus disc is a refreshing and fun listen but comes a little too late from a band that's already been treading water in the deep end for some time. It is about time to get back on feet. Hopefully for Bemis, third time's a hit.
Rating: 4
