Fresh-faced and rejuvenated after completing their interconnected trilogy of albums, 2006's
Sound the Alarm
, 2007's
Under the Boards
, and 2011's
Daybreak
,
Saves the Day
return with a refreshingly light and upbeat self-titled effort. Free from the constraints of the three-album cycle, it feels as though
are reveling in their first taste of freedom away from their ambitious experiment. Now, in what feels like a reintroduction of sorts, the band gets back to doing what it does best with an album of infectious and unabashedly upbeat emo-pop that revels in its sunshiny warmth. Despite being
's eighth studio record, it feels oddly appropriate that this is the album that bears the band's name as its title. A summery album that's hard to listen to without bopping your head and smiling, this kind of carefree and sweet album is exactly the sound that defines the band. Sometimes, too much sweetness can be a bad thing, but the group's deft touch, combined with the album's compact running time of a little over 30 minutes, keeps
from becoming saccharine. It's almost like reconnecting with an old friend after years apart and finding out he's every bit as fun as you remembered. So while it's no shock that the bandmembers had an album like this in them after all this time,
's effervescence makes for a pleasant surprise, giving listeners a brief escape from their day into a world filled with poppy hooks and sparkling melody. ~ Gregory Heaney