Anarchy, My Dear
Say Anything’s fifth studio album, *Anarchy, My Dear*, is a genuinely angst-ridden release. It\'s easily the hardest Say Anything has crafted since 2004’s *. . .Is a Real Boy*. The group\'s album art even depicts a symbol of a burning flag stitched onto an actual flag. Singer Max Bemis has said that this album is about subverting society and breaking down boundaries. Sure enough, “Burn a Miracle” opens with taut pop-punk that leans a bit harder on the punk. Over guitar leads with late-\'90s emo flavors, overdriven bass, and plenty of upstart lyrics, Bemis sings through a distortion filter. His chanting “burn a miracle” cleverly sounds like he’s shouting “burn America.” He namechecks Randy Newman in “Night’s Song,” a reggae-tinged ditty that juxtaposes a lightly bouncing melody with Bemis angrily spitting out his lyrics like a soured beverage.
When a punk band slinks back to an indie label after a stint in the majors, it often adopts a stripped-down, back-to-basics approach—as if to say, “Hey, now that we’re not being pressured by a bunch of suits anymore, we’re getting back to our roots.” True to Max Bemis’ infamously contrarian bent, he’s done the…
Discover Anarchy, My Dear by Say Anything released in 2012. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.