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Saves the Day ‘Stay’ Sorry

“Could you tell me the next time that you’re choking?” Saves the Day’s Chris Conley sang on “My Sweet Fracture” from 1999’s Through Being Cool.”‘Cause I’ll rush right over to shove some dirt right down yourthroat.” It has been the better part of a decade and the boys in Savesthe Day still rip through breakneck pop-punk with youthful levels ofabandon, but Conley’s ire may have finally caught up to him. “Can’tStay the Same,” from the band’s new album, Under the Boards, voices his misgivings and repentance replaces acidic slurs.

Thereis a certain wisdom present in shouldering blame instead of casting itoff, and when Conley sings lines like “I wish I said I’m sorrysweetheart I can’t be/The man I lead you to believe that I would be,”he sounds not only solemn, but grown. Curious then that he maintainsthe same exuberant, nasally tone that brings nuance to quick sputteredwords, his sing-a-long melodies ripe for audience participation in thelive realm. The band, too, sharpens their proven strengths, albeit in aslowed form, as a punchy rhythm section and distorted guitars rumbletight patterns steadily, allowing Conley’s words to ring clear.

The second chapter in a three-part series after last year’s restless Sound the Alarm, Under the Boardsis a record of “reflection and remorse” according to Conley. But on”Can’t Stay the Same,” with a hook like “Hey, hey, everything’s okay /I love you more than I can say,” he might just get forgiven. Under the Boards rears its head in stores on Oct. 30 from Vagrant.

Now Hear This:
Saves the Day – “Can’t Stay the Same” DOWNLOAD MP3

On the Web:
Saves the Day at MySpace
savestheday.com

Talk: After a decade as a band has Saves the Day stayed the “same”?