Be Like Max
Save Us All
Self-Released (2019)
Rating: 84 hours of driving around sing-screaming (which is what you’ll want to do when you hear this album.. But don’t be a dumbass and get pulled over for skanking while driving. Which totally did not happen to me. Just in case, you know?)
2018 was a busy year for Be Like Max. They toured in Europe and Brazil, as well as around the U.S. And somehow, on top of all of that touring, they managed to create a killer record.
Produced by David McWane (yes, that David McWane), Save Us All is the fourth full-length that the band has released in its nearly ten years of existence. And… damn, the boys have really outdone themselves with this one. I’d call it short and sweet, but I’m not sure that “sweet” is the right adjective for Be Like Max’s special brand of ska/punk. Either way, the album ends at barely over twenty minutes. None of it is wasted and none of it is excess – just banger after banger.
One of the first things I noticed about this album is that it’s incredibly polished. Of course, David McWane (Big D and the Kids Table) had a hand in that. But it’s also largely thanks to audio engineer Jay Maas, who’s recorded for bands like State Champs and Seaway. BLM rounded out their dream team with Javier Munoz (of Day Labor) on trumpet, Matthew Ellis (of Kill Lincoln) on tenor sax, Esteban Flores (of Matamoska!) on keys, and Erin Mckenzie (of the Doped Up Dollies) on vocals.
What gives Save Us All life, though, is Be Like Max themselves. I’ve been going to their shows for the better part of a decade, and this album truly is a testament to how much they’ve grown. They’ve still got that fire that makes you want to skank your limbs off, but the years have allowed them to refine and hone their sound. Take the harmonies and horn breakdowns: clearly BLM, just more masterful now.
The lyricism and overall cohesiveness of the album are nothing are nothing to scoff at, either. The band’s grown lyrically as well as musically, and Save Us All has some very clear political themes. The lines “I’m losing my mind / But at least I’m not like Weinstein” from “At Least I’m Not a Toucher” elicited the classic middle school knee-jerk reaction of “Ooh, burn!” from me, despite the seriousness of the song’s topic. But that’s what good punk does, isn’t it? It’s fun and makes you thrash and dance around, but it’s also clever and makes you think.
And listen, I know I just said that “sweet” maybe isn’t the best way to describe BLM, but ending Save Us All with “Home Away From Home” is an exception. If you’ve been going to their shows for as long as I have (or perhaps even longer!), then this one will definitely tug at your nostalgic rude kid heartstrings.
That’s all I’ll say about Save Us All for now though- because the release show for it is less than a week away! I won’t be able to make it to the gig (which is at the freakin’ Brooklyn Bowl!!), but if you’re free February 17th, go support our boys! Tickets are available here, but obviously you should get yours from one of the band members, if you haven’t already.
-Julien Boulton
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