Say Anything — In Defense Of The Genre

If any emo is actually worth defending, it's Say Anything's brand of potty-mouthed pop-punk. I figured a two-disc LP was awfully ambitious for a sophomore album, but give Max Bemis and co. props for pumping some life into this otherwise run-of-the-mill genre. Disc one cuts "Shiksa (Girlfriend)" and "People Like You Are Why People Like Me Exist" explode with their red-hot licks and catchy melodies, while offbeat numbers such as "That Is Why" and "Baby Girl, I'm A Blur" prove the band are capable of incorporating everything from swing to '80s rave music into their sound. Here's the disappointing part: Disc two is basically a one-trick pony. "Vexed" and "Spores" are pretty much the only tunes worthy of joining the Say Anything catalogue, so it's fair to say the band should've trimmed the fat and made In Defense Of The Genre a one-disc outing. After all, if you really want to hear some guy riffing about getting laid and dropping ecstacy for an hour and a half, you should probably just rent The Aristocrats.