Under the Boards

On December 30, 2006, vocalist/guitarist Chris Conley mentioned that Saves the Day were "workin[g] on new material."{{cite web|url=http://www.absolutepunk.net:80/showthread.php?t=200286|title=Saves The Day Are Writing|work=AbsolutePunk|publisher=SpinMedia|author=Foucart, Jon|date=December 30, 2006|access-date=May 2, 2017}}{{dead link|date=July 2018|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} On February 1, 2007, Conley said the group had finished 13 songs demoing for the next album, which would be titled Under the Boards. The group were aiming to record in late spring and release the album in the fall.{{cite web|url=http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=208633|title=New Saves The Day Album Title|work=AbsolutePunk|publisher=SpinMedia|author=Foucart, Jon|date=February 1, 2007|access-date=May 2, 2017}}{{dead link|date=July 2018|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} In April and May, the band went a co-headlining tour with Say Anything. During the tour, a live video of a new song entitled "Can't Stay the Same" was posted online.{{cite web|url=http://www.absolutepunk.net/tags/saves%20the%20day/5/|title=Saves The Day News - News Articles|work=AbsolutePunk|publisher=SpinMedia|author=DeAndrea, Joe|date=April 16, 2007|access-date=May 2, 2017}}{{dead link|date=July 2018|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Following the tour, the band began recording Under the Boards.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1555681/for-the-record-quick-news-on-justin-timberlake-avril-lavigne-britney-spears-jessica-simpson-eminem-more/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809030636/http://www.mtv.com/news/1555681/for-the-record-quick-news-on-justin-timberlake-avril-lavigne-britney-spears-jessica-simpson-eminem-more/|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 9, 2016|title=For The Record: Quick News On Justin Timberlake, Avril Lavigne, Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson, Eminem & More|work=MTV|author=Staff|date=March 27, 2007|access-date=July 23, 2016}}

A post on the website Punknews.org said of the album and its relationship to the band's previous album, Sound the Alarm and subsequent album, Daybreak:

The band is co-producing the 13 songs with Marc Hudson and Eric Stenman at their studio in northern California. Under The Boards continues a story about self-discovery that began with last year's Sound the Alarm and will conclude with a third album, Daybreak, to be released next year. Says frontman Chris Conley: "Sound The Alarm is an expression of discontent. Under the Boards is reflection and remorse. Daybreak is acceptance."

Conley notes that parts of the album are darker than Sound the Alarm as it is the transitional chapter of the trilogy ("like The Empire Strikes Back"), but adds, "It's going to be an interesting listen. There are a lot of different moods in these songs." Says Soloway, "'Woe', is the heaviest song we've ever written and two of the songs, 'Get Fucked Up' and 'Can't Stay The Same', might be the most poppy tunes we've ever done.[http://www.punknews.org/article/24221 "Saves The Day hits the studio, promises new albums in 2007, 2008."] Punknews.org. June 18, 2007.

Under the Boards is the second album of a trilogy with the theme of self-discovery. It was preceded by Sound the Alarm (2006) and followed by Daybreak (2011). Conley said that Sound the Alarm was "an expression of discontent. Under the Boards is reflection and remorse. Daybreak is acceptance."{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/24221/saves-the-day-hits-the-studio-promises-new-albums-in-2007-2008|title=Saves The Day hits the studio, promises new albums in 2007, 2008|work=Punknews.org |publisher=Aubin Paul|author=Paul, Aubin|date=June 18, 2007|access-date=August 17, 2017}} Conley also said that the three-album concept was: "just a bit of a therapeutic experiment".

I felt like all twisted up and broken inside and just angry and confused and depressed and sad and I couldn’t really deal with the world or myself. So I was just like this has got to end, I have to at least try and get a grip on the world and on myself. So I dove into the depths of my mind and brought out what I was finding ... Under The Boards dealt with how all of that was making my life unbearable, and I realized I had to change so that album was the transitional part, starting to transition out of that dark place, because you realize how its effecting your life.{{cite web|url=http://www.reviewrinserepeat.com/interview/saves-the-day/2010-11-23|title=Saves The Day|publisher=Review Rinse Repeat|author=Stetsko, Mark|date=November 24, 2010|access-date=August 17, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702071609/http://www.reviewrinserepeat.com/interview/saves-the-day/2010-11-23|archive-date=July 2, 2017}}

Conley said Under the Boards was the "most honest and therapeutic music I've ever made. It was also written during the hardest time in my life." Several of the album's tracks were written as far back as 2003, immediately after the In Reverie sessions.[http://www.pop-zap.com/conversations/20071024/ "Under the Boards: A Conversation with Chris Conley of Saves the Day."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027053014/http://www.pop-zap.com/conversations/20071024/ |date=2007-10-27 }} PopZap!Music. October 24, 2007. The song "Woe", for example, was the first song Conley wrote after the completion of In Reverie. Conley called "Woe" the "darkest song on the record and the darkest song I've ever written. And it is the most cathartic lyric I've ever written."{{cite web|url=http://absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=308892|title=Saves The Day - 04.02.08 - Interview|work=AbsolutePunk|publisher=SpinMedia|author=Streeter, Brad |date=April 2, 2008|access-date=May 2, 2017}}{{dead link|date=July 2018|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Conley said "Turning Over in My Tomb" was "the moment when I decide to stick around and face the facts and learn how to make the most of this life, instead of being crushed by the weight of my history."

"Can't Stay the Same" was posted on the group's Myspace profile on August 17, 2007. On September 7, "Get Fucked Up" was posted on the group's Myspace profile.{{cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_2660|title=Saves The Day post new song|work=Alternative Press|publisher=Alternative Press Magazine, Inc|date=September 7, 2007|access-date=March 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170319204333/http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_2660|archive-date=March 19, 2017|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} On September 18, Under the Boards was announced for release.{{cite web|url=http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=266770|title=Pre-Order New Full-Length Release from Saves the Day|work=AbsolutePunk|publisher=SpinMedia|author=Allin, Brandon |date=September 18, 2007|access-date=May 2, 2017}}{{dead link|date=July 2018|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} In October, the group went on an acoustic tour, alongside Single File and Dr Manhattan.{{cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_2516|title=Saves The Day announce acoustic tour|work=Alternative Press|publisher=Alternative Press Magazine, Inc|date=August 17, 2007|access-date=March 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170319023327/http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_2516|archive-date=March 19, 2017|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} On October 19, "Radio" was made available for streaming via the band's e-card.{{cite web|url=http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=273263|title=Stream A New Saves The Day Song|work=AbsolutePunk|publisher=SpinMedia|author=DeAndrea, Joe|date=October 19, 2007|access-date=May 2, 2017}}{{dead link|date=July 2018|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Under the Boards was made available for streaming via the group's Myspace profile on October 23,{{cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_2881|title=Saves The Day stream Under The Boards|work=Alternative Press|publisher=Alternative Press Magazine, Inc|date=October 23, 2007|access-date=July 8, 2017}}{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and was released on October 30 through Vagrant. The album features a DVD, which documents the creation of the album.{{cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_2803|title=New Saves The Day album to come with bonus DVD|work=Alternative Press|publisher=Alternative Press Magazine, Inc|date=October 3, 2007|access-date=March 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323143407/http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_2803|archive-date=March 23, 2017|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} "Can't Stay the Same" was released to radio on November 5.{{cite web|url=http://www.allaccess.com/mail/archive/eweekly/alternative/2007-10-30.html|title=AllAccess.com Alternative eWeekly|work=AllAccess|date=October 30, 2007|access-date=July 2, 2016}} Between late March and early May 2008, the group co-headlined the Bamboozle Roadshow with Armor for Sleep.{{cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_3361|title=Saves The Day/Armor For Sleep to co-headline Bamboozle Roadshow|work=Alternative Press|publisher=Alternative Press Magazine, Inc|date=January 18, 2008|access-date=July 8, 2017}}{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In April, the band appeared at the Bamboozle Left festival.{{cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_3511|title=Blaqk Audio, Hot Water Music, H2O added to Bamboozle Left|work=Alternative Press|publisher=Alternative Press Magazine, Inc|date=February 15, 2008|access-date=July 9, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728175351/http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_3511|archive-date=July 28, 2017}}

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AbsolutePunk

| rev1Score = 86% {{cite web|url=http://absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=275039|title=Saves The Day - Under The Boards|work=AbsolutePunk.net|access-date=August 28, 2015}}

| rev2 = AllMusic

| rev2Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}[http://www.allmusic.com/album/under-the-boards-mw0000579371 AllMusic Review by Corey Apar]

| rev3 = Alternative Press

| rev3Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.altpress.com/reviews/entry/undertheboards|title=Saves The Day - Under the Boards - Reviews|author=Heisel, Scott |date=February 26, 2008 |work=Alternative Press|access-date=December 3, 2015}}

| rev4 = The A.V. Club

| rev4Score = C{{cite web |url=http://www.avclub.com/review/saves-the-day-emunder-the-boardsem-7448|title=Under The Boards · Saves The Day · Music Review Saves The Day: Under The Boards · Music Review|author=Ryan, Kyle |date=October 30, 2007|work=The A.V. Club|access-date=December 3, 2015}}

| rev5 = Exclaim!

| rev5Score = Favorable{{cite web |url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/saves_day-under_boards|title=Saves the Day Under the Boards|author=Conoley, Ben|date=November 19, 2007 |work=Exclaim!|access-date=December 3, 2015}}

| rev6 = Melodic

| rev6Score = {{Rating|3|5}} {{cite web|url=http://www.melodic.net/?page=review&id=6258|title=Saves the Day - Under the Boards |work=Melodic|author=Roth, Kaj|date=November 8, 2007|access-date=July 18, 2017}}

| rev7 = Ox-Fanzine

| rev7score = Favorable{{cite web|url=https://www.ox-fanzine.de/web/rev/59062/reviews.207.html|title=Reviews: Saves the Day / Under the Boards CD|work=Ox-Fanzine|author=Meyer, Dennis|date=December 2007 – January 2008|access-date=May 22, 2019|language=DE}}

| rev8 = PopMatters

| rev8Score = {{Rating|6|10}}{{cite web |url=http://www.popmatters.com/review/saves-the-day-under-the-boards/|title=Saves the Day: Under the Boards|author=McGuire, Colin|date=January 22, 2008 |work=PopMatters|access-date=December 3, 2015}}

| rev9 = Punknews.org

| rev9Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.punknews.org/review/6791|title=Saves the Day|work=punknews.org|date=30 October 2007 |access-date=August 28, 2015}}

| rev10 = Spin

| rev10Score = Favorable{{cite web |url=http://www.spin.com/2008/01/saves-day-under-boards-vagrant/|title=Saves the Day, 'Under the Boards' (Vagrant) |author=Burgess, Aaron |date=January 18, 2008 |work=Spin|access-date=December 3, 2015}}

| noprose = yes

}}

The album charted at number 119 on the Billboard 200.{{Citation needed|date=November 2007}}

All lyrics written by Christopher Conley, all songs written by Saves the Day.

1. "Under the Boards" – 3:15
2. "Radio" – 2:13
3. "Can't Stay the Same" – 2:48
4. "Get Fucked Up" – 3:03
5. "When I'm Not There" – 2:46
6. "Lonely Nights" – 3:05
7. "Bye Bye Baby" – 2:36
8. "Stay" – 3:25
9. "Getaway" – 2:46
10. "Because You Are No Other" – 1:59
11. "Kaleidoscope" – 3:18
12. "Woe" – 3:05
13. "Turning Over in My Tomb" – 3:26

{{Reflist|2}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgR42qlTaRzYe7-plazYGmQluWewE5u66 Under the Boards] at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)

{{Saves the Day}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Saves the Day albums

Category:2000s concept albums

Category:Vagrant Records albums

Category:2007 albums