Friday, September 9, 2016

Saves the Day: 1984 EP [2010] — EP Review

Chris Conley: Vocals, Guitar
Vocal Era: Daybreak
Arun Bali: Guitar
Rodrigo Palma: Bass
Spencer Peterson: Drums

Tracklist:
1. 1984 – 3:08
2. Let it All Go [Acoustic] – 2:50
3. Driving in the Dark [Acoustic] – 3:09
4. Hold [Electric] – 2:38
5. Stay [Electric] – 3:37
Total Runtime: 15:22

1984 EP came out during a very strange time in Saves the Day's career. After the departure of longtime guitarist Dave Soloway after Under the Boards, as well as new drummer Durijah Lang and Glassjaw bandmate, bassist Manuel Carrero, Conley was left looking for a whole new band.
In Arun Bali he found a guitarist; and one who is worthy of taking Soloway's place. For bass he found Rodrigo Palma. But establishing a drummer was the hard part. In Spencer Peterson he found a drummer. Whom did not last very long. Peterson wasn't even in the band a year before Claudio Rivera took his place in October 2010. But this EP came out just before Rivera took over drum duties, but this isn't Peterson's only recording with the band, Daybreak was recorded with him, meaning Claudio never recorded with Saves the Day in the studio.
The EP was mostly meant as  holdover until Daybreak finally came out, and that's what it sounds like; something to hold you over until something better comes out.
Arun Bali sounds like Soloway. He's perfect. Every recording sounds like exactly what Soloway would have written had he still been in the band. We'll talk about that more when we get to Daybreak, so, shall we get to the songs?
I'm gonna save going into detail with "1984" for my Daybreak review, but it's a great song nonetheless. Next up is an okay acoustic version of a song from then-upcoming Daybreak. It's alright.
The Daybreak voice just can't carry a tune as heavy-handed as "Driving in the Dark" from In Reverie. The guitars are good though. Next, "Hold" is an amazing song. I've always wanted an electric version and the Daybreak voice does a surprisingly well job carrying the tune. The Daybreak voice also doesn't do a half-bad job at Under the Boards songs either. "Stay" was a great song from UtB and the electric guitar sounds really cool instead of the acoustics.

1984: 8/10
Let it All Go [Acoustic]: 6/10
Driving in the Dark [Acoustic]: 5/10
Hold [Electric]: 9/10
Stay [Electric]: 8/10

Total: 37/50
Score: 7.2 Great

Genres: Pop-Punk, Emo, Indie Rock

Last Review: Copacetic by Knuckle Puck
Next Review: Bad Vibrations by A Day to Remember
Next Saves the Day Review: Daybreak

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