Day 45: Bayside - Cult

Artist:   Bayside
Album:  Cult
Source:  http://www.altpress.com/news/entry/bayside_stream_full_album_cult

Pre-listening Notes:  Bayside is a pop punk band from Queens.  Truth is, I have never enjoyed anything they have done previously.  But, like I said, I'm days behind and I can't just keep waiting on things to show up that I am going to fawn all over.  I have to give other things a shot.  I was pleasantly surprised with Slough Feg, so I'll give this a whirl.  About the only thing I really know about this band is they played a show I went to once, in like 2004, but I think I vaguely remember walking back into the vestibule area during the first song, because I was very much not into it.  Since, I have heard snippets of about two other songs, so let's see if they have made any changes to their sound since.      

Initial Reaction:  So far, it sounds a little more alt-rock than I remember them sounding like.  The vocals are on the whinier side of the pop punk spectrum.  The music isn't terrible, but I hate when bands like this are all on the "oh, listen to us solo or have like a weird ironic metal break, we are so rock and roll" and the first song has one of those parts.  If you were rock and roll, your whole song would reflect it, not just a 30 second snippet. 

Random Thoughts:   I may be way off base here, because I haven't heard them since the early 2000's, but this band reminds me of Sum 41, or something equally as awful.  I am going to work my way through this, because I haven't given up on anything yet, but this is one of my least favorite things that I've listened to since I started this.  And yes, I brought it on myself.  Four tracks in and nothing has really jumped out to be interesting on this.      

Final Reaction:  I know this band has a lot of fans, but I just don't see it.  I had a hard time differentiating between songs, if it wasn't for the occasional commercial that Youtube threw in.  They can play their instruments and I'm going to give them credit for apparently being good for this style of music, because like I said, I know they have a lot of fans.  I just don't like it.     

Final Grade:  2.5/10