Online only: Emo champs defend their title

Say Anything's quirky brand of emo-pop on …Is a Real Boy was a substantial success and vocalist Max Bemis' battle with bipolar disorder has been the topic of enough interviews, garnering them a lot of buzz in the process. And although he seems to be better, Bemis' condition didn't have much negative effect on Say Anything's new album, In Defense of the Genre. \nDefense is a 27-track, double-disc album that includes extreme diversity throughout; there are emo-pop songs, straight-up rock songs, and even a few ballads. On a basic level, it is a concept album about falling in love (disc one) and then losing that love (disc two).\n"Shiska (Girlfriend)" is one of the more obvious upbeat tracks, and is a perfect emo-pop song. It features technically sound guitar work and a bit of Parker Case's excellent synth work. Of course, Bemis' oddball lyrics are present: "Even if you stomp me 'til I'm sore / No matter what, I'll bleed to be your whore."\nThe best addition to SA's sound is the aforementioned synth and key work by Case, which shines on "Baby Girl, I'm A Blur." The nearly entirely electronic single features subtle guitar work, but a stinging drum beat that adds another layer to the band's sound. \nThe songs on the second half of Defense are a bit more diverse than the first, and more lyrically ferocious. The title track features driving guitars and attacking vocals from Bemis as he growls about the music industry: "Go tell the false friend who doubts your art / Hey, toss my caustic salad / Their noise pollution is a one-night stand / A closet corporate ballad."\nThe band also develops some strong mid-tempo songs like "Spores" and "Plea." Guitars initially lead in "Spores," but all the instruments fade in place of a surprisingly beautiful vocal from Bemis: "I still miss you more / I miss you more than I ever did before you left your spores inside."\nDefense also features a shocking 23 guest vocalists/ musicians including Pete Yorn, Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance and Hayley Williams of Paramore. Some of the guest spots are hard to catch, but many of them add something to the songs. \nIn Defense of the Genre is an album that requires a huge investment, but once you listen to it all straight through a few times, the fluidity of the concept really materializes. Say Anything is one of the best bands in the genre and they've defended it very well with easily one of the best albums of 2007.