I was quite excited about hearing this album because even though this is their second full-length album, it was going to be the first time that I’d ever really given Bayside a proper listen and I’d heard some good things. I’d heard comparisons to the likes of Alkaline Trio and Hot Water Music, which is never a bad thing. Although when I actually stuck the CD I actually thought I had put in an Alkaline Trio album by mistake.

There are an awful lot of similarities between them and the Alk3 boys, vocalist Anthony Raneri sounds very very very similar to Matt Skiba and songs like ‘Half A Life’ really wouldn’t sound out of place on Alkaline Trio’s classic album ‘From Here To Infirmary’. So at this stage I was unsure whether to write them off as a bit of a copycat act or to give them a chance in their own right. In the end I was forced to give them a chance because the more I listened to the album, the more I enjoyed it. Songs like ‘Hello Sh*tty’, ‘Montauk’ and ‘Existing In A Crisis (Evelyn)’ just can’t be ignored with the urgency they possess and the odd guitar solo is always nice to hear.

My personal favourite on the album is ‘Half A Life’ which has some great vocals and another great guitar riff and it just seems to be a great example of what this band are all about. Some great dark but melodic punk rock that will surely start to see them rival some of their Victory Records label mates in the popularity stakes and the upcoming Victory Records UK Tour could be the last time we see them as an opening band on a big tour.

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