6/26/14

There's a new Say Anything record out, and I listened to it, and it was good, but I didn't really want to listen to it again. Instead I just wanted to listen to old Say anything, so this evening I've been rediscovering songs from records I'd only given a try once or tonight.

"...Is a Real Boy," is a classic, no questions asked. But later albums have choice tracks that have, in many ways, evolved from there. Truly an artist, Max Bemis never shies away from "the crazy," but rather embraces it. So with each record he's change his focus some, tapped into new perspectives or attitudes. "Hebrews" looks outward as much as it does in. It's incredibly passionate, and breaks and bends with frustration at every turn of a chorus to a bridge.  It's a little chaotic, and it feels like madness in a lot of ways. Though I don't think I'll get too much more into it, I'm glad it retains some of that same independent, forceful rebellion that made his breakout so bold and memorable.What has always stood out more, to me, are the songs that channel the insatiable, the thirst for someone else or something for me, a theme you'll see through it all - and as far back as 2002.

Twelve years ago, Bemis did things a lot more simplistically. What a pretty, strange little song this is. But it's still so weird, so right with all its wrong notes, and for how brash and brazen the phrasing is. With the almost sleazy way he sounds, the way he speaks of sweat and spit, it's a song about sex, sure, but there's something more, in the "sugar" and the "angel" that's coming from more than the physical attraction, from the angle that was missed.

Way to go, "About Falling" YouTube playlist, for bringing me back to this one.

"You're looking quite sharp, sugar.

You've got some teeth on that stare.
You've got them tattered blue jeans on.
You've done that thing with your hair.
This bed could use a secret and these pounding hearts could keep it.
If you could, then I could, I swear.

You turned me on and I'd like to know if you were trying.
Angel we are so gone.

By tonight
The earth bursts open
By tonight
We shed this clothing
You'll see me from the angle that you missed.
Nothing exists, but this.

You're looking high strung, sugar. 

Why don't you sink a little bit?
Into the sea of sweat our skin can spit.
It was good to keep me guessing because you know i hate attention,
But can we get down to it? Can we get down to it?

You turned me on and I'd like to know if you were trying.
Angel we are so gone.

By tonight
The earth bursts open
By tonight
we shed this clothing
By tonight
You'll see me from the angle that you missed.
Nothing exists, but this."
~By Tonight
Say Anything, Menorah/Mejora