…Is a Real Boy
| ...Is a Real Boy | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Say Anything | ||||
| Released | August 3, 2004 | |||
| Recorded | 2003–04 | |||
| Genre | Emo,indie rock,pop punk,punk rock | |||
| Length | 57:55 | |||
| Label | Doghouse | |||
| Producer | Max Bemis, Tim O'Heir, Stephen Trask | |||
| Say Anything chronology | ||||
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| Singles from ...Is a Real Boy | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AbsolutePunk.net | (99%) |
| Allmusic |   |
| Blender |  |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+ |
| Punknews.org |
(2004) (2006)
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| Rolling Stone | |
| Sputnikmusic | |
...Is a Real Boy is the second full-length release by Say Anything.
After signing with the label, Bemis began writing songs for his band's Doghouse debut. With tremendous self-created pressure, he threw himself into pushing the sonic boundaries of the band and maturing their sound, incorporating elements of math-rock, indie-pop and theatrical pomp. He and Linder also started the search for a producer. The two met several producers but eventually decided on Tim O'Heir and Stephen Trask. Bemis struggled with different ideas for the record and decided the album should focus on "the artistic struggle, the fact that every creative person has this sick ambition to affect some sort of change in society with their art, to be more than just a guy in a band or a poet or a sculptor." According to the album's liner notes, ...Is a Real Boy was originally intended to be a rock opera, complete with a full narrative, cast of characters and spoken word interludes between each song. One tentative title for the album was Zona! Zona! However, Bemis became overwhelmed by the entire process of writing and playing most of the instruments and had a breakdown.
"I literally lost my mind while we were recording," stated Bemis regarding the breakdown. The breakdown was precipitated by a mockumentary discussed by Bemis and O'Heir. Bemis' condition led him to believe he was being secretly filmed for the mockumentary; the situation culminated in him walking the streets of Brooklyn thinking he was being filmed while encountering friends (who were actually strangers). After recovering, Bemis decided to focus solely on the music and dropped the idea of a script. Around July 2003, the band began recording ...Is a Real Boy, their first album with Doghouse Records. Bemis said the two people he wanted to "outdo with ...Is a Real Boy were Andy Warhol and Jesus." In addition to working with O'Heir and Trask, Say Anything worked with Forrest Kline (of power pop band Hellogoodbye) to record the For Sale... EP, released in 2004. The band also worked with ECA Records to record a promotional album that was never released.
In October and November 2004, the band went on tour with Hot Rod Circuit, Northstar and Straylight Run. In February 2005, the group toured with Recover, Armor for Sleep, and Case Pagan. Between October and December, the band toured alongside Senses Fail, The Early November and Saves the Day.
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