Say Anything - ...Is a Real Boy/Was a Real Boy

Normally, my tolerance for navel-gazing emo bands is somewhat low, but Max Bemis backs himself (he plays nearly everything but percussion and some keyboards here and there) with enough musical muscle to make his self-aware (he's in a band, he sings about being in a band!) songs live with a sense of dignity. Instead of playing like some diary entries from a narcissist, ...Is a Real Boy comes off like a raging storm against shallowness, whether it's sexual ("The Writhing South"), critical ("An Orgy of Critics"), etc. Closing song "Admit It!!!" hits a bit close to home - attacking hipsters, some of the lyrics sound a bit like me. Which ones? Not telling. The strength is musical; unlike so many other bands with emo leanings, Bemis doesn't rely on preciousness to make his argument. It's not a brutal record on the level of a metal band, but it's incredibly powerful for a guy singing the insides of his head.

The bonus disc on the reissue, ...Was a Real Girl, is pretty inessential, sounding a bit like leftovers. Of the seven songs, I would say none of them are bad, but none are essential, either. "Wow I Can Get Sexual, Too" is a highlight, though - so catchy, so cute, such delightful little keyboards. It sounds nothing like the album, and in a sense that makes it more memorable than the rest. Not better - but more memorable.