Saves the Day
“Daybreak”
(Razor & Tie)

The long-gestating album from pop-punk legacy act, Saves the Day, has finally gone from rumor, concept and interview fodder to an actual record that you can upload onto your iTunes.

For years, Saves the Day, and singer/guitarist Chris Conley in particular, have been the subject of staunch criticism, whether it was Conley’s changing voice, the band’s revolving door or their inability to stay musically consistent post-“Through Being Cool.” For all the shit talk that flies through the internet, however, I can’t really name a bad Saves the Day record. Certainly there are ones that I favor more than others, but I can say that that has to do more with cherished memories and nostalgia than anything else.

That said, “Daybreak” opens up with a ten minute title track, which is really five songs in one and acts as both a recall to its predecessors in “Sound the Alarm” and “Under the Boards” and a jumping off point for the record. “Deranged and Desperate” is easily the album’s centerpiece – a catchy Nirvana-esque guitar riff paired with Conley’s melodic hook.

Unlike many long-running bands, Saves the Day haven’t really tried to replicate any of their albums (much to the chagrin of kids who discovered them during the “Through Being Cool” and “Stay What You Are” eras), though “Daybreak” certainly has a kindred spirit in being the most diverse record since “In Reverie.”

— Ryan Pangilinan