''Anarchy, My Dear'' is the fifth studio album by American
alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
band
Say Anything Say Anything may refer to:
Film and television
* '' Say Anything...'', a 1989 American film by Cameron Crowe
* "Say Anything" (''BoJack Horseman''), a television episode
Music
* Say Anything (band), an American rock band
** ''Say Anything'' (alb ...
. It was released on March 13, 2012 through
Equal Vision Records
Equal Vision Records is an independent record label based in Albany, New York. It was founded in the early 1990s by Ray Cappo, singer for the punk bands Youth of Today, Shelter, and Better Than a Thousand.
The label originally existed solely to ...
.
It is their last album with drummer Coby Linder, who left the band in December 2012.
Background
On July 13, 2011, vocalist
Max Bemis
Maxim Adam Bemis (born April 6, 1984) () is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He was the lead singer, primary composer and primary lyricist of the band, Say Anything (band), Say Anything, before their hiatus in 2018. He sang alongside C ...
announced that Say Anything had been signed to independent label Equal Vision Records. They recorded ''Anarchy, My Dear'' from August 2011 to the end of September 2011 with ''
...Is a Real Boy'' producer, Tim O'Heir. Explaining the album's theme, Bemis said,
Artwork
"We thought we could best represent what the album means by using the symbolism of a burning flag stitched onto an actual flag. The image represents a championing of the ’cause’ of struggling against the rules and regulations that dictate our thinking.”
Release
On December 19, 2011 Say Anything streamed their first single from the album called "Burn a Miracle." The track was officially released the following day to digital music retailers. On January 10, 2012 the album's track listing was revealed.
On February 4, 2012 the band released the second single from the album entitled "Say Anything". The song impacted radio on February 28, 2012. "Overbiter" impacted radio on September 11, 2012.
Reception
''Anarchy, My Dear'' polarized critics, but received a 66 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating generally favorable reviews.
[ '']AbsolutePunk
''AbsolutePunk'' was a website, online community, and alternative music news source founded by Jason Tate (the most recent CEO). The website mainly focused on artists who are relatively unknown to mainstream audiences, but it was known to fea ...
'' gave the album an 85%, writing that the record promises "anything could happen at anytime, and Bemis and company do their very best to shake up what has been expected from them as a band."[ Entertainment Weekly was positive, noting that "Like a good long-distance run, Anarchy rewards with bursts of sonic endorphins." Alternative Press complimented Sherri Dupree-Bemis' presence on the album, highlighting her contributions to a "loose, lively, fun record" and awarding the album 3.5 out of 5 stars.][ In a mixed review, The A.V. Club wrote that Bemis "padded Anarchy with lushness, delicacy, and nuance. The problem is, Bemis' nuance screeches louder than distortion."][
]
Track listing
References
{{Authority control
2012 albums
Equal Vision Records albums
Say Anything (band) albums