"This album is the story of Saves The Day and my own personal journey through life, which all unfolded as my relationship with music progressed." 9 is the 9th album from Saves The Day. The Princeton, NJ band's first two albums, Can't Slow Down and Through Being Cool, are considered influential emo / pop-punk records, as they toyed with and effectively captured all the feels that come with adolescence. Veterans of the genre now, Chris Conley & gang look back everything from the group's origins to his own moments of self realization, and they do so over straight-forward guitar riffs and a pop savviness fitting of where they are in the career. Check out the dense 20-plus-minute closer "29," which could stand on its own as an indicator of 9's direction, of the anthemic "Side By Side." Other highlights include the rambunctious opener "Saves The Day," or the equally energetic "Suzuki."

• limited to 250 copies
• opaque pink vinyl
• music label: Equal Vision Records 2018

reviewed by singing in japanese 11/18