Anarchy, My Dear

Say Anything’s fifth studio album, <i>Anarchy, My Dear</i>, is a genuinely angst-ridden release. It's easily the hardest Say Anything has crafted since 2004’s <i>. . .Is a Real Boy</i>. The group's album art even depicts a symbol of a burning flag stitched onto an actual flag. Singer Max Bemis has said that this album is about subverting society and breaking down boundaries. Sure enough, “Burn a Miracle” opens with taut pop-punk that leans a bit harder on the punk. Over guitar leads with late-'90s emo flavors, overdriven bass, and plenty of upstart lyrics, Bemis sings through a distortion filter. His chanting “burn a miracle” cleverly sounds like he’s shouting “burn America.” He namechecks Randy Newman in “Night’s Song,” a reggae-tinged ditty that juxtaposes a lightly bouncing melody with Bemis angrily spitting out his lyrics like a soured beverage.