The Best Day Ever

The chatter surrounding the recent escapades of The Best Day Ever create a strange collage of exciting endeavours and unexpected journeys. The last that the Tampa Bay area had heard of them, The Best Day Ever was a cover band who had won Best of the Bay in said division and were whisked off for a six month contract on Carnival Cruise Lines. What happened during those six months (I have been told is worth multiple articles alone to discuss) inspired a dark, post-prog pop opera spanning two albums and story-wise, centuries.

Since returning, they have played several local venues like State Theater, Gasoline Alley and The Orpheum and even charted as the most voted for band in the Hard Rock Cafe’s Battle of the Bands.They are also catapulting a new way of releasing music. Instead of the traditional format of E.P.s or a full album all at once, they are releasing the tracks in “Chapter” form to go along with the album’s concept. So far, I find it not too different from the traditional E.P., but according to them each chapter has it’s own unique feeling, so it will be interesting to see how that comes out. The first chapter and the album’s prolog we’re set forth nearing the end of last year which included their first single “Stars.” I found it to be an exciting and romantic pop-rock song accompanied by a video seemingly meant to rally the troops for the civil rights movement. And exceedingly so, Lauren’s mezzo soars throughout the track mixing and harmonizing beautifully with Stuart’s warm, caramel tones. This combination, found throughout most of the album (excluding a few solo songs from both of them) is a winning and novel addition to the local scene. In the later track (currently unreleased but played in their live set), “Night in Messina” not only do the dual lead vocalists shine brilliantly as soloists, but they melt together and past each other in brilliant harmonies that are an amazing example of text-painting.

Speaking of the solo songs on the album, just recently they released their second single, “Six Feet Under Me,” Lauren off on her own vocally on this track and holds nothing back on this dark ballad. It really speaks to the void left behind after Amy Lee’s evanescence into obscurity and, at least to me, gives a tantalizing promise of future angsty girl power tracks by TBDE. This is not to over shadow, however, the grit and passion of “The Storm Cometh,” with displays the powerful vulnerability of Stuart’s rock vocals. And that bass solo in the beginning? You know that song is all business.

Of course, Lauren Lance and Stuart Best would be floating in irrelevance if it were not for the band itself, their live show is absolutely astounding with the addition of Disco on drums, David the Day on guitar and Doug Katez on violin. The fullness and musicianship displayed in their live sets creates a fullness and exciting dynamic rarely seen, and most certainly the wild abandon with which Lauren takes the stage, unheard of unless you’re a whirling dervish. This berzerker approach to stage performance bleeds out amongst the other players, a revival of the sweaty showmanship of past rock gods (long maligned by the floor-gazing hipsters currently prevailing the scene) is now at hand.

Along with their musicality and exuberance, The Best Day Ever has taken an interesting approach to their stage attire, at the last show they performed Lauren wore an upcycled steampunk wedding dress. The rest of the band followed suit, showcasing an interesting array of attire from the era that never was. It will be interesting to see how they progress in that way, during my talks with them they casually mentioned the possibility of a huge theatrical show sometime this year, sounds like something to definitely look out for. - Tampa Mayhem Magazine

An interview with The Best Day Ever. - Pop Vulture Magazine

"Stars is a pounding pop-rock song with anthemic strings and rhythm." - Tampa Bay Times