That's the kind of respect Bayside has been afforded. Over their 10 year career, their hard work and knack for producing consistently good music has won over everyone who has listened to them, starting with small crowds from their early beginning and through word of mouth, internet promotion and catchy punk music have gone on to headline big tours with other household bands in the scene. The result is a cult following, four solid records, and a signing to their first major label, Wind-Up Records.
It was a huge step for the local boys from Queens that gave them the chance to work with famed producer Gil Norton, responsible for hit albums from Jimmy Eat World (Futures), Dashboard Confessional (A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar), and what I consider to be the greatest alternative rock album ever made, The Colour and the Shape by the Foo Fighters. Bayside lead singer Anthony Raneri said in an interview the first time he heard that Foo Fighters album, he told his band mates one day Gil would produce a Bayside album, and this whole ride has been a dream come true.
Expectations were already very high for the Queens quartet. The band has labeled "Killing Time" the best work they've done because they had one thing they've never had before: TIME. This band took over a year to record the album, making sure ever song was perfect. Anthony mentioned that lead single "Sick, Sick, Sick" was re-recorded and changed seven times in the recording process.
The result may be Bayside's best effort yet. What's striking about this album is that it sounds like Bayside. The label emphasized their distinct music and make sure not to tamper with what won Bayside the huge fanbase that recently sold out The Crazy Donkey for their 10 year anniversary and the Looney Tunes signing day. Killing Time was able to build on Bayside's past success without reinventing the wheel.
Their music has a recognizable originality. That begins with Anthony Raneri's raw, passionate vocals which are as powerful as ever on this album. His lyrics are as scathing and vitriolic as they've been on Bayside's earliest work, as he tackles issues like his ex-wife in "Sick, Sick, Sick" (Your sex capades deliver checks/but can't afford you self-respect), growing troubles in "It's Not a Bad Little War" (I had a place to live in/I had a job worth quitting, I had some things I had to chase) and trying to make something of life on Long Island in "Sinking and Swimming on Long Island" (I've become a rock these days/And I swim like one, alone again/Barely surviving the tidal wave). This album cemented Anthony as my favorite lyricist for his ability to capture the dire situations of life, no matter how small, and making it both easily to relate to but with with a sense of hope for survival in the end. The song that sticks out through multiple listens is "It's Not a Bad Little War", which includes the line "We Are Our Chance in the world/So stand for something, cause something's overdue"
The music is some of Bayside's heaviest, starting right off the bat with the blistering drum roll on "Already Gone". Guitarist Jack O'Shea wins this album from the get-go, turning in his absolute best work. The guitarists are monstrous, and every song from "Seeing Sound" to "It's Not a Bad Little War" will imprint themselves on your memory. The solo on the Bad Religion-esque "The Wrong Way" is above anything that's been recorded on a Bayside song. Jack O'Shea is the consummate professional, providing Bayside with guitar tracks that separate them from other bands of their genre. Above all, Gil Norton turns in the same great production work he's done on past work. The sound is flawless. Everything from the drums to Nick's bass to the guitars and vocals are crisp and clean.
When Bayside released the first three tracks of this album, I was a little nervous that Bayside tipped their hand early. That worry was quickly eviscerated when you get into the heart of this album. Whether's it's the New Found Glory styled riff on "Sinking and Swimming on Long Island", or the beautiful acoustic song "On Love, on Life", Bayside makes it clear that they have a lot to offer. "On Love, On Life" is reminiscient of "Don't Call Me Peanut", as Anthony passionately belts "I've never felt as old and lonely/As when I was young and in love" behind a sparkling piano riff backing his acoustic guitar. Bayside ends Killing Time with a powerful message on "Killing Time", saying that you can't just wait for the right moment to come in life, or in the end you may find you've run out of time.
Before the album came out, many had compared it to a combination of their self-titled album and Shudder, while Anthony himself compared it to a more polished version of "The Walking Wounded". In the end, Killing Time is a cocktail of something from every one of their albums. It sports the raw tenacity of their debut, "Sirens and Condolences", the anthemic, classic feel reminiscent of Self-Titled, the complex structures and expanded quality of The Walking Wounded, and the simple punk aesthetic of Shudder. This album is Bayside in a blender, and the result is a concoction of brilliance, sure to cement Bayside's place as one of the best bands around today.
RIYL: New Found Glory, Alkaline Trio, The Smoking Popes, Bad Religion, real music, good music, honesty, not-Justin Bieber, not-Ke$ha, not-Brokencyde
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