1. The Resistance*
2. Breaking
3. Blame Me! Blame Me!
4. Retrace*
5. Feel Good Drag
6. Disappear*
7. Breathe*
8. Burn Out Brighter (Northern Lights)
9. Younglife
10. Haight St
11. Soft Skeletons
12. Miserabile Visu (Ex Malo Bonum)*
I know yet another music review! but i had time so i thought i would crank as much of these out as i could! hope someone is enjoying these haha!
Well i picked up this album a couple weeks ago when it came out and to be honest there wasnt as much hype around it as the other albums. i remember waiting for the day cities came out to go and get it, but for new surrender i kinda forgot they were even coming out with a new one! none the less i was still excited to pick it up for 9 bucks and listen to one of my favorite bands as of late! I still remember listening to never take friendship personal for the first time not having any idea who anberlin was and being very happy about my purchase! (still my favorite anberlin album of their 4). i also saw them a few years back at creation fest right before they started recording cities and loving their show, unfortunatly the rest of the Battalion guys were too tired, didnt know who Anberlin was, or didnt care! its been great to see them do so well over the years!
now their has been some news surrounding anberlin this year on their faith. for their entire career (which started with some of them still in highschool.....MxPx anyone?) they have been on tooth and nail which can be classified as a Christian record label though not all bands on the label are "Christian bands." this new album is on Universal Republic a secular record label. now all that being said im always happy to see christian bands make it big and have their music played world wide (relint k, jars of clay, sixpense none the richer, P.O.D., switchfoot, just a few names that come to mind) but there is a difference between a "Christian band" and "Christians in a band" and this year Stephen Christian has clarified that- "I think we're categorized like that a lot because we're on Tooth & Nail Records, which, years ago, was known as a Christian label and never lost that reputation. I don't care who listens to our records. If it helps people in whatever circumstances they're in, that's amazing, but I definitely don't classify us as a Christian band." now all that being said its hard to know where every band out there is at with God and what not! not that i doubt these guys' faith because they have made known to all that they are in fact Christians even members from Fall out Boy who they used to tour with commented on these guys' faith and said in an interview that they didnt know anything about Jesus until they met the guys from Anberlin which i think is awesome! but where is the integrity within a band whos members are all Christian but dont want to be labeled as a Christian band? im not sure and its one of those big questions within the music industry that i will no longer comment on for now, maybe another day.
BUT back to the band its great to see Anberlin get signed to a big label and be given even more opportunities in the music industry (much like Relient K did last year getting on Capitol Records). that being said i cant help but wonder if they had to whip up something quick for the label so they can get a new cd out, cause at times in this album it seems to be thrown together quick and wasnt given as much time and thought as "Cities" or "Never Take Friendship Personal." one example is having Feel Good Drag return, i know im getting a bit too critical but i think its a DRAG (man am i funny or what) that they had to put an old song on a new cd. i also understand that this happens all the time but come on did you not have another song somewhere to throw on the cd? im sure in a couple months there will be a special edition cd with three new songs tagged on why not put one of those on the original instead of this one? anyway still a great song.
Now all this being said i still really liked this album, i still got that great Anberlin sound and the talent of frontman Stephen Christian shows up once again in this album. great bands have this super talent with them, guys like Matt Thiessen and Jon Foreman are just a couple examples, and Anerlin has this super talent (Stephen Christian if you didnt catch on) and it shows and thats why they are getting even more popular! (a super talent band like DC Talk has three of these guys it doesnt seem fair does it?). the other thing i liked about this album is the balance with fast fun songs (The Resistance) and laid back mellow acoustic songs (Breathe), i especially liked the last song on the album that shows more of the experimental side of the band and reminds me of the last song on cities which i also loved!
so if you enjoy some feel good music that you can sing to and your a fan of bands like relient k or even the almost then go get this album! or even better if your looking to get some Anberlin i suggest never take friendship personal or cities, even blueprints for the blackmarket is good before you embark on this new Anberlin!
overall ill give this one a 9/10
-bent ;)
7 comments:
Good review, ben. Im not sure that it deserved a 9...maybe a 7 or 8, but thats just my opinion. i definitely agree that this seemed to be thrown together quickly to be released on the new label. I think your next review should be on Anorexia/Nervosa. I was amazed when listening to these 2 new albums, and would like to hear what you think about them...especially "the beginning" featuring ol' Reese Roper.
hey thanks man! love reese roper i was also thinking about doing the new brave saitn saturn with our budy reese!
-bent ;)
*brave saint saturn
Wow, 9 out of 10. To be honest I was disappointed with this album. I really liked Cities and have listened to it so much the CD may wear out soon. When I found out that a new album was coming out I was stoked to see what would come next from these guys. I echo that thrown together quick thing. I also thought that it didn't progress from where Cities was. At times I felt like I was listening to the old album and I had to check and make sure I had the right CD in the stereo. Like I said I enjoyed Cities so I am sure I will like this album as well but for me it wasn't nearly as good as I thought it would be.
ya 9 may have been a bit high its hard to tell after listening to it for only a couple weeks, i may just be hoping that it will reach 9 in a few weeks as it grows on me cause Anberlin has never really let me down! but ya i agree cities is far better and i personally like never take friendship personal a lot too! thanks for reading boys good always enjoy talking about music!
-bent ;)
BS2! I really need to get my hands on those albums, ive heard them, and they are amazing, but it is pretty close to impossible to find them, short of giving reese a phone call. anything ive read about the new album says its amazing.
its true i have one they have three all together making a story through the whole thing! and ya i have heard a lot of good about their new one that came out a couple weeks ago ive been on the hunt! maybe iTunes?
-bent ;)
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