Saosin - Along the Shadow

You don't even know how happy i am this record arrived today. I was not looking forward to revisiting eMOTIVe or American Idiot, or explaining how net worth is more like collateral and the "billionaires" are the actual buffer between government spending and general circulation, or that nonsense idea that congresspeople walk away millionaires. Instead, we'll say welcome back Anthony Green, and revel in the post-hardcore gorgeousness of Saosin's 2016 Along The Shadow. 

The whole album is phenomenal, but Alex Rodriguez deserves special mention. No baseball jokes, the drumming on this album is out of this world. Not standout, though, every individual part is stellar, as is the overall songwriting. This is a maximum score album. 

It's also a throwback to the good part of the early 2000s, because Green left to be the singer of Circa Survive after their debut EP. So, their first two LPs with Cove Reber are like a completely different band. This is original Saosin's actual debut album. I suppose you could call it Screamo, but that's a nonsense designation because the first thing you'll notice is that this is incredibly melodic, lushly orchestrated, and HEAVY. And wow is it beautiful, just a joy to listen to. There isn't a single awkward or incoherent moment. Instead, all the little glitches and stutters and swells and textural changes feel completely intuitive, clever, and coherent. Anthony's screaming comes across as a duality; like we're hearing both the outward expression and the inner context at the same time. 

I know i don't evaluate albums the way most people do, but this is an album you could listen to for the 100th time and enjoy it more than the previous 99 listens. Seriously, give Along The Shadow some undivided attention. Really feel it, it's phenomenal.