Ten Albums I Listened to A Lot in 2016: #01 - Bayside "Vacancy"

As I mentioned, Bayside's "Vacancy" was released in August of 2016. If you've ever spent any amount of time on this blog, you know that Bayside and I have had an on-going love story. Dailyvault.com posted my review of "The Walking Wounded" on 2/6/2007. Today is 1 month, 1 week, 1 day shy of a decade since that review was posted. I only mention that because of the way that review includes these statements:
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This CD arrived in my mailbox on a Thursday. I listened to it five times in a row... 
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and
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Vocalist/guitarist Anthony Raneri sings the lyrics in an engaging style, implying that he really believes what he is saying.
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Not a lot has changed for me. I listened to "Vacancy" three times on the day it was released. It is highly probable to be a popular choice when I am choosing music in the years to come. Anthony Raneri and crew have assembled a powerful and emotional roller coaster of tunes. It is an audio documentary for Raneri's recent divorce and the fallout that followed. While my marriage is not on the same trajectory as Raneri's, I found a lot of subtle advice I can use to improve upon my role as husband.

Undoubtedly, my favorite track is "The Ghost" with its opening declarations of "I will change, I will change / Just tell me what to do." I listened to this release in the truck on the way to and from Elkader.


One time, Karen asked who it was, I replied Bayside, and she responded with as glowing of an endorsement as I think she can give when she said, "They're not bad."

Like Metallica's release, I do not think there is a sub-par song on the release. However, just because this is the album I listened to the most doesn't mean it is perfect. When I reach track 11, "It's Not As Depressing As It Sounds," I often feel like he's cheating as he dismisses all of the pain he has spent the previous 10 tracks. It's like he's saying, "I just told you about all the hell I've been through, but hey, it's okay." It certainly doesn't sound "okay" during the other 10 tracks!



I'm not saying I skip the tune when I listen to this album - I'm just maybe finding a small imperfection in an otherwise brilliant and flawless album.



Notes from the Editor:

• Including an album in this Top Ten list should not imply an endorsement of the album as being "good" - nothing in the title of these posts states that these are "Ten GOOD Albums I Listened to A Lot in 2016". Pay attention to details. 
• Also, this is a post in a series of 10 that began being published at 7:30 PM on 12/28. The #1 album was to be posted at 11:59 PM on 12/28, with this schedule, but sometimes "life" takes away plans.
  1159 - 1
  1129 - 2
  1059 - 3
  1029 - 4
  0959 - 5
  0929 - 6
  0859 - 7
  0829 - 8
  0759 - 9
  0729 - 10