Search - Mayday Parade :: Anywhere But Here

Blake G. from BLUE MOUND, IL
Reviewed on 6/17/2010...

I literally listen to this CD alllllll the time.
there isnt one song on this album worth hitting the next button.
If you liked Mayday Parade's first CD then i garuntee you will LOVE this one.
:)

Mayday Parade, Only Different

The Boleyn Girl | Pennsylvania, USA | 10/06/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Anywhere But Here is second full-length album from alternative rock band Mayday Parade. The Tallahassee-based group has always been set apart from others in its genre for its heartfelt vocals, well-written lyrics, and general originality. After the success of their first album, A Lesson in Romantics--the cleverly-versed follow up to the EP, Tales Told by Dead Friends--Mayday Parade was highly praised by even those who like to complain about the sameness of most alternative bands. Mayday Parade was a different thing altogether, and in a very good way. In this second album, Mayday keeps its heartbreaking vocals, but loses something in the process of rearranging itself to a broader audience.



As most fans will know, this album marks the first time Mayday Parade has had to function without the lyrical support of Jason Lancaster, and the results are somewhat mixed. As expected, the lyrics are considerably less witty and poetic and sound somewhat less sincere as a result. However, frontman Derek Sanders' voice is so earnest (and, in this album, has matured to a smooth but still unique tone)that you still "feel" the songs. The instrumentals flow very nicely, and the composition is as good as ever, but the fact remains that without Lancaster, Mayday Parade is simply a different band. I still love them, and the band still ranks as one of my absolute favorites, but I must admit that I prefer their style from A Lesson in Romantics and the Tales Told By Dead Friends EP. Their sound was fresh and individual, whereas in Anywhere But Here the band seems to be following a preset pattern laid out for most typical alternative bands. The Silence and Get Up are both tracks that sound unremarkable and forgettable. However, I Swear This Time I Mean It, The Memory, and Save Your Heart are highlights and reflect the style that was so winning in A Lesson In Romantics.



Overall, Anywhere But Here is a worthy buy for Mayday Parade fans, and will probably win over legions of new supporters, but those who have loved Mayday Parade from the first will be a little disappointed by the new, more common-sounding style. 3.5 stars."

Structured Songs, Lancaster Departure Take Away What I Loved

Lance G. Augustine | The Midwest, USA | 10/07/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Other than absolutely loving the music, the first thing that made an impression on me concerning Mayday Parade's "A Lesson In Romantics" album was the length of some of their song titles...14, 15, even 22 words long. Most of the songs didn't have a set-in-stone structure to them, yet the soaring melodies flowed so effortlessly, the music was so powerful, the vocals were performed so passionately and the lyrics were such that they made you think real hard (and the thinking was well worth it)... that after all was said and done, I have to rate that album as my favorite alternative/punk/emo record ever.



Immediately after discovering it, I wanted more! I wanted it to go on and on forever...it was (and still is) that good. So finally, Mayday puts out "Anywhere But Here", partnering with a major label for the first time, and my excitement upon hearing the news was over the top. Now, I have to admit, I never took much time digging into the specifics of who the band members were, and I don't have the means to see them in concert. All I had were these songs I had downloaded and were playing the heck out of.



Eventually I found out that shortly after the recording of it, one of the lead singers, Jason Lancaster, had left the band. That scared me for the future of this band, because another highlight of that album was the flawless intertwining of the two lead vocalists. Since I had no physical copy, I had no idea that Jason's was the voice I had fallen in love with...so distinctive, so passionate, so incredible! That's not to put down Derek Sanders (the other lead vocalist), because he's awesome too...just not quite the emotive singer Jason is.



I've listened to this new one several times now, and while it's still good, it doesn't approach the quality of "A Lesson...". It would be difficult to label this an alternative rock album. Most of these songs are structured (verse, pre-chorus, chorus, verse, etc.) just like every other mainstream pop-rock album out there today. Most of the songs have choruses where the song title is sung and repeated (again, just like everything else out there). Now, that's not necessarily a bad thing, but when you find a band as creative with its songwriting as Mayday Parade was, you miss it when they don't follow up with their unique formula for writing (few songs on "A Lesson..." used the song title in the lyrics of the chorus). The point is, there's nothing special here to differentiate this from any other run-of-the-mill modern rock album.



I couldn't believe my ears when I heard the opener, "Kids In Love". It's almost childish. The lyrics are, to be kind, bland. Lyrics referencing young love and first kisses are heard on more than one occasion. "Bruised And Scarred" has about as cliche of a chorus as you can get. Many songs, such as "Center Of Attention", just don't have much to offer, either musically or lyrically. To be fair, not all songs sound uninspired. While the overall performance and presentation is somewhat flat and stale, some songs remind you of the 'old' Mayday Parade. The two songs with the longest titles attempt to repeat the classics from "A Lesson...". They aren't bad, but without Jason the passion just isn't there. There are several similar songs that are somewhere-in-the-middle as far as quality goes...the title track, "The Silence", "Still Breathing", "Save Your Heart"...decent songs with good harmonies and melodies. "The End" is a good song, too (relatively speaking).



If you've never heard of Mayday Parade before, and you like mainstream rock music, chances are you'll like this album. Even many Mayday fans will accept the changes a little more gracefully than me and enjoy this record for a long time to come. In no way is this an awful album...otherwise I would have only given it one star. I'm only being harsh because I know what Mayday Parade is capable of. I'd hope that Jason would hop back on the bus for the next record and all would be well, but for now he's off trying to make something of his new band, Go Radio."