Jackson Free Press

The ever-changing, ever-acerbic rock act Say Anything subverts expectation on a regular basis. With the band's breakout album "... Is a Real Boy" in 2004, it became clear that self-deprecating (and formerly self-medicating) singer and songwriter Max Bemis was willing to blindly follow wherever the lyrical truth led him. That wasn't always a pretty sight, but it was usually a pretty sound. In some ways, Say Anything's newest album, "Hebrews," matches the music with the ugliness of the inner demons it exorcizes. While that's definitely an interesting train of thought to board, the railways have no shortage of rust.

Named after Bemis' heritage, "Hebrews" chronicles his most struggle with life's pitfalls. And if you've listened to Say Anything before, that description may sound familiar. Bemis is no stranger to tough breaks, but the culprits this time around are the singer's new forays into faith, fatherhood and, of course, the realization that his age is quickly catching up to him.

As always, Max Bemis attacks the topics with wit, pith, piss and vinegar, and invites some famous friends along for the ride, a tactic he employed on 2007's "In Defense of the Genre." But that's about as far as the album goes in keeping with Say Anything's past efforts, and you'll do well to remember that.

From its first track, "Hebrews" clashed with my preconceptions. Given Say Anything's penchant for punk rock, I had anticipated a hint of it on the opening track "John McClane," named after the guns-blazing hero of the "Die Hard" film series. Instead, the introductory song delivered friendly, bouncing keys with a nursery rhyme presence. I felt as if I was in Mr. Rogers' neighborhood, if Mr. Rogers lived in a loft apartment and wanted to teach kids about mid-life crises. That may not sound like your cup of tea, but for me, it was just the strange, fantastic start I wanted.

In fact, many songs on "Hebrews" strike the right balance between endearing and deranged, a tough line to walk yet one that Bemis does backflips on. Tracks like "Judas Decapitation" deal with the self-destructive nature upon which he founded Say Anything and the listeners who have turned against him since he began piecing together a healthier life. It's a sentiment that is sadly true: Many fans have spoken against his marriage to Eisley vocalist Sherri Dupree, claiming domestic life removed his edge.

"Hebrews" is a pillar of powerful turns of phrase, unfortunately paired with some poor musical choices. While Bemis could probably teach rhetoric and poetry in his sleep, he may have slept through a few too many lectures in Basic Songwriting 101. As experimental as Say Anything has been in the past, pop song structures held the ship together. While a few songs like the single "Six Six Six" and title track jab in a flag to mark the chorus, most others do nothing to highlight any one part.

This is perhaps due to the removal of the typical band instruments that makes some of the tracks on "Hebrews" so hard to follow. Drums and bass provide the ubiquitous beat behind each song, but gone are the guitars that once prevailed in Say Anything's music. Instead, we hear Rhodes keys and programmed strings. A few selections seem to wear the change well, such as "Kall Me Kubrick," in which peculiarity just makes sense thematically and titularly. Sadly, others suffer the stylistic change more noticeably, such as "A Look" and "The Shape of Love to Come," both of which are actually well constructed songs made less listenable by the gaping rhythmic hole.

"Hebrews" has moments that I can comfortably describe as brilliant, as Bemis may have reached a higher lyrical level than we've ever seen him. If only his former bandmates had made the journey with him, we may have had the best Say Anything record to date.

Instead, "Hebrews" is a clever notion wrapped in some dreadfully silly mistakes, missteps a younger version of the band would likely never consider. The penultimate song, "Lost My Touch," says it best, as Max Bemis explains the earnest realization that one day his music will be eclipsed. But I doubt he expected his younger self would be the one casting the shadow.