Has there ever been a song where every time you listen to it you want to cry and dance and smile and sing at the top of your lungs and scream all at the same time?Mine is "They Looked Like Strong Hands" (Acoustic) by Bayside. Every aspect of it gives me the chills. The simplicity of the guitars makes it somehow so complex and ineffably powerful. The amount of musical skill required to create such a filling and full sound with just two instruments. Bayside is way better acoustic, simply because you can hear every little detail that goes in to it. Often, you overlook the nuances in songs because of recording errors, or too much noise. Here, you pay attention to their efforts.
Raneri's voice is absolutely gorgeous. It always is, in everything, but something about this tune just brings it out to a point where I'd probably name him top vocalist in my book. It's the perfect balance of scratchy vocals and abundant, expansive vocals. The way he just says his words is fascinating. I've never heard anyone with the same abilities. Sure, Brendon Urie's voice is loud and full of vibrato and it's beautiful, but it doesn't have the same capability to be entirely void of emptiness and lack dimensions. Raneri's voice could fill stadiums.
This song is the best Bayside has ever written. The original version has always drawn me in, but I never bothered to listen to the acoustic. Now that I have, it's changed how I view the band. Now I prefer their acoustic versions, and this is my new favourite Bayside song.