100% to all of this. "Nibble Nibble" has grown on me, but "Lost My Touch" is so clearly the appropriate album closer. "Nibble Nibble" feels like end credits music after the resolution of "Lost My Touch" to me.
Like, Admit It!!! is definitely iffy in the lyrical department, but melodically and instrumentally that song absolutely rules. Also, probably alone in this, but Slowly Through a Vector is one of, if not my favorite Say Anything song.
I love a lot of The Stephen Hawking but some sections lose me a little. I think Admit It!!!, Plea and Ahh... Men are all much better songs.
It is still so fun when you find a new person who knows all the words of Admit It and it comes on and you both just keep going and going and going
"Admit It!!!" still rules, but yeah, lyrically I just think "Plea" and "The Stephen Hawking" have aged better "Ahhh...Men" is a fine closer to a fine album. "Nibble Nibble" has the same problem as "Admit It!!!" and all I remember about IDTII's closer was that it sounded like Sleigh Bells
its grown on me also but "Lost My Touch" feels like such an appropriate closer, hell if it were the last Say Anything song id be satisfied with it (although im glad it isnt ofc) but yeah its super emotional and sincere and for once Max isnt cloaked in 7 layers of irony, hes truly sincerely addressing the criticism he receives while still saying "look, im an artist, im happier now, this is what it is"
I'll honestly never forget the first time I heard "Lost My Touch" and how much it affected me emotionally as a fan of Max's. A Say Anything song hadn't hit me that hard in a good long while at that point. "Nibble Nibble" kind of feels like an afterthought following that song, a bit anticlimactic.
and by god jeremy bolm should not work as well as he does on that song. what a great payoff. yeah Nibble Nibble feels like a bonus track or something, i mean i get that its like this metaphor for the music industry and w/e but when i listen to it im like "oh max is shitting on the music industry again cool" whereas LMT is a fucking experience
But Lost My Touch is the closer. Nibble Nibble is just the epilogue. (But that's just how I view some albums and their last 2 songs. I guess I'm kind of weird with that). Lost My Touch is an actually breathtaking song and probably a top 10 SA song. I'd argue that it's maybe the most straightforwardly vulnerable Max has ever been. No metaphors, no clever jabs back at the critics. Like @CoffeeEyes17 said, it's just him saying "Look, this is how it is, this is where this thing is at, and you can either join me for the ride or not, and it's ok either way, but let's just be honest about it." And Jeremy Bolm jfc, one of my favorite features on any song ever. And let me be very clear: I love every second of Admit It!!! (probably even more than Stephen Hawking, but not quite as much as Ahh... Men or Plea) and there is nothing quite like sing-screaming to every word of that song. (Although my friends are lame af so I rarely have anyone to do it with, but that's fine cus then I just annoy them by doing it anyway).' On the topic of openers, I'm going to say Skinny, Mean Man is actually my favorite just to be controversial (but really that and Belt are both also top 10 SA songs for me). But of course I adore John McClane as well. It's such a great example of what we were talking about earlier. For every song that has cringe worthy lines where Max took it too far or said something too bizarre, there's a John McClane where it works so well and it gives such a great insight into Max's head. Y'all brought out all the Say Anything feels from me tonight.
I feel you on this. (I'm still living in my fantasy world where Hayley Williams is going to join Max on stage to sing this song in celebration of IDOTG 10-year. Please no one try to bring me back to reality).
All the people admitting to liking tracks on Hebrews and IDTII and giving them another chance is awesome. Hebrews is undoubtedly my second favorite SA album. I love it front to back.
Best opener is Belt, but am I the only one with an affinity for Spay Me? (Or does that one not count bc it opens disc 2, and thus not the *overall* opener to IDOTG?)
Best opener for me is probably "John McClane" followed by "Fed to Death." Worst opener is by far "Give a Damn." I enjoy the verses well enough, but the chorus does nothing for me. The fan gang vocals were an awful gimmick imo, but I've never enjoyed that effect (like in that 30 Seconds to Mars album, This is War, which addmitedly pulled it off much smoother).
Might be my favorite tbh! The "cater to me or I'll punch myself until my face is blue" part is one of my favorite parts in any SA song.
The first time I saw Say Anything (aka on the greatest tour ever which was Motion City Soundtrack, Say Anything, and Saves the Day on Halloween) they played Spay Me and I had never heard it before, and it blew me away live, and I immediately went home and listened to it. Great song, one of the best on that album. A true top 10 SA song (I probably have about 50 top 10 SA songs. I don't like logic.)