Third album from New Jersey emo heroes Saves The Day, originally released in 2001. Stay What You Are marked a shift in the band’s sound from the energized pop punk / Jersey emo of their first two albums to a more melodic sound, characterized by slower ballads like “Freakish,” “Nightingale” and “This Is Not An Exit.” The band worked with celebrated Elliott Smith producer Rob Schnapf and Stay What You Are turned out to be their most commercially successful album to date. There are traces of the band’s earlier sound, like “See You,” “Certain Tragedy,” but the pop punk edginess is smoothed over with sparkling guitars and singer Chris Conley’s saccharine melodies, and some of the more frenetic moments break out into sugary singalong passages, like “At Your Funeral” and album closer “Firefly.” 180g black vinyl pressing released in celebration of 20 years of Vagrant Records.

• 180g vinyl pressing
• includes printed insert
• limited edition
• music label: Vagrant Records 2018

reviewed by satin struthers 10/2018