Bayside
“Killing Time”
(Wind-Up)

Long Island-based quartet, Bayside, has always been a weird group to me. Truthfully, I wrote them off when “Sirens and Condolences” came out in 2002 because it seemed like a shameless rip-off of Alkaline Trio and the Smoking Popes. I probably didn’t really like the band until after “The Walking Wounded” came out and I interviewed them for High Voltage back in 2007. On that record, Bayside seemed like they were trying a lot of new things, such as implementing elements of Klezmer. This kind of subtle experimentation continues on to their latest record, and first for semi-major label, Wind-Up, “Killing Time.”

The album begins with the shredder, “Already Gone” and pretty much goes up from there. There’s no lull on the record. From that first track, Bayside rips through nine more songs, with gusto on songs like “It’s Not a Bad Little War,” “Seeing Sound” and “Mona Lisa.”

Over the years, Bayside has gotten pretty good at crafting their own sound, which follows a very similar formula, yet plays to their strengths, whether it’s Jack O’Shea’s killer noodling or Anthony Raneri’s melodically hypnotic voice. “Killing Time” definitely has a lot of new songs that will be regarded as fan favorites.

— Ryan Pangilinan