joe zorzi reviews Bayside’s latest album …
Bayside have not lost their touch. Having always been a refreshing breath of fresh air in an overpopulated and generic pop-punk scene, the band has packed their hardest punch with their newest release, Killing Time.
“Mona Lisa” is a highlight track . It’s an impressive display of songwriting that isn’t often seen by most artists these days. I don’t know of any other band that can fill a pop song with so many key changes and still make it so catchy. The modulations are so clean that the average listener wouldn’t even realize how much is going on in the song.
Vocally, Anthony Raneri is at his best. He keeps his melodies fresh and sings with an edge that keeps the songs interesting. The gang vocals are the only real thing I could’ve done without. Not that I don’t like gang vocals. I just felt that they weren’t tastefully done in the album. The chants in “Sick, Sick, Sick,” for example, took away from the emotion of the song.
Guitarist Jack O’Shea continues to prove that he can shred harder than most of his contemporaries, ripping awesome solos like nothing (might have to check your pants after “The Wrong Way”). He’s got a great ability to shred and still make his solos melodic. Throughout the album, O’Shea does a great job of bringing an extra boost of energy to the songs.
The title track is a perfect way to end things off. “Killing Time” is a dark and epic last song, capturing all the emotions that run throughout the album. The chorus is anthemic and leaves the listener yearning to give Killing Time another spin.
Not only has Bayside created another great album, but they have reinforced their status as true veterans of the scene. The energy and power heard in Killing Time has shown that Bayside are far from past their prime. In fact, this album could quite possibly be some of Bayside’s best work to date.
