Bayside - Vacancy (Hopeless Records) 2016
7
Considering that Bayside’s previous album, Cult, was vocalist/guitarist Anthony Raneri dealing with his move to Nashville, his recent marriage and fatherhood, on Vacancy we witness a different side of those life events. Raneri wrote the new songs while he was going through the end of his marriage and its effects on his life. But this is not a breakup record, this is a record about change and how to overcome it. This was also the first time that all band members had to work on an album without being in the same city (New York) and not being in the same room. Challenge after challenge, the band show maturity on their seventh album and Vacancy is raw and ambitious. A fine record from an always-impressive band.