The Review

Issue date: 10/23/07 Section: Mosaic

Media Credit: Amazon.com

"In Defense of the Genre"
Say Anything
J Records
Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)

Much has been made of Max Bemis, lead singer and mastermind behind Say Anything, and his bipolar disorder. The 24-year-old singer has suffered nervous breakdowns, bouts of schizophrenia and entered a mental institution in 2005. Now with the release of Say Anything's double CD, "In Defense of the Genre," Bemis is exploiting a different tick - attention deficit disorder. The album is full of off-the-wall lyrics, genre-bending composition changes and an emo all-star cast of more than 22 vocalists.

In what was an attempt to be everything to everyone, "Defense" fails, albeit valiantly, to resonate with its audience.

This is not to say the 27-song record isn't a success, but rather an accomplishment in the bloated, scope-too-wide sense of the word. The band's 2004 album, "…Is a Real Boy," was a near-perfect debut of conflict, intelligence, humor and hope. "Defense" has similar themes, but its punch isn't a wallop - it's a grazing.

At nearly 90 minutes, Bemis' latest work is daunting to the point of irritation. It's a shame, because Bemis is possibly the most promising songwriter his heart-on-its-sleeve generation has. While his peers attempt to emote with hoarse screams, Bemis uses clever metaphors instead.

Opener "Skinny, Mean Man" is pure fire and brimstone. Bemis takes a typical scenario - boy meets girl with boyfriend, boy is sad - and transforms the song to a modern-day female resurrection that would make Nathaniel Hawthorne proud. He sings, "From his nightmares I've plucked a plan / Where that prick, to the world, is revealed as a wicked man / This is a prayer from your biggest fan." Pair angelic background vocals with apocalyptic drumming and it's truly spooky stuff.

Yet too often, Bemis and his band fail to recreate the urgency "Skinny, Mean Man" oozes. "That Is Why" would have been original if My Chemical Romance hadn't released "Mama." The promising "Sorry, Dudes. My Bad" is tainted with screeching guest vocals from Chris Conley of Saves the Day. And the sleep-inducing "The Word You Wield" sounds like a never-ending drone.

The real problem? I've only mentioned four out of the album's 27 songs. Like many bands that attempt the double-album Mount Everest, Bemis tries to craft a transcendent opus but comes up short. His masterpiece is probably coming - just not yet.

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