Say Anything/Saves the Day/Reggie and the Full Effect

Goofball indie rock band Say Anything rose to prominence on college campuses across the U.S. when ...Is a Real Boy came out in the mid-2000s. “Alive with the Glory of Love” was the standout single, led by off-kilter vocals and jaunty guitar work. “The songs were jam-packed with fairly blatant nods to bands I dig (Queen, Saves the Day, Pavement, Faith No More, Fugazi, etc.),” frontman Max Bemis said at the time, and those influences still hold forth in the band’s current output. Years later, Say Anything dropped Hebrews (July 2014) and extended its weirdness, going so far as to drop guitars entirely and replace them with orchestral string arrangements. The new vibe puts a fun, aspirational twist on a familiar band’s patent sound. New single “Six, Six, Six” offers a refreshing glimpse into how the band is handling that intersection. (Sandy)