Anberlin - Cities

The climate in music today, while better than it was in that 4 year period between 1998 and 2001, isn’t ruled by any particular genre, but rather by individuals having a somewhat wide array of tastes. People are a little into a lot of music, rather than a lot into a little. Consequentially, individual genres tend to be a little more watered-down and general, as the average music listener can’t handle things going very deep, mostly because they don’t have the time to devote to a particular genre.

So isn’t it great to see a band like Anberlin that’s taking the general and doing grand things with it? A music aficionado like myself thought that excellence of this caliber was only achievable by bands seasoned in their genre, not upstart pop-punk bands who look pretty. But Anberlin reveals a vast understanding of what makes rock and roll great, while still staying very accessible.

Their third album, Cities, continues their musical maturation, if a bit slowly. When I first heard Never Take Friendship Personal, I knew right away that this was a band of a different stripe than the Panic! at the Discos or Fall Out Boys. They fit in nicely with the aforementioned groups, but stand above them, as if called up to a higher place. The intro to the album suggests a more epic feel than we’re used to, and the first real song, “Godspeed,” is the most frenetic and excited song on here, and indeed that the band has ever done. The high-octane energy doesn’t stop till we’re about a third of the way through, however, and perhaps a more modulated approach would have been better. Still, though, “Adelaide” and “A Whisper and a Clamor” are great and catchy songs, especially the latter.

Then Anberlin shows how much they have grown with “The Unwinding Cable Car,” a delicate acoustic song with a fantastic vocal part. The only “slow and sensitive” material on their previous album was “the symphony of (blasé),” a track that while nice, seemed inappropriate between two high-energy songs. Now, they have learned how to make a quiet song that’s both powerful and doomy while still being pretty, and is not saccharine or clichéd.

The second half of the record loses a bit of steam. “There is No Mathematics to Love and Loss” is interesting, but lacks a compelling melody. “Hello Alone” seems like single-worthy material, but actually got old pretty quickly. I definitely like Anberlin’s experimentations with the synthesizer, though, as on “Mathematics” and “Reclusion.” The synth, in this day and age, is only used really well by progressive rock groups; in other places, it seems like a hammy 80s throwback. But Anberlin use it in a subtle way that isn’t extravagant.

Then there is the final track, simply titled “(*fin).” It’s a little frustrating that the best song on the album doesn’t have a real title. This song reaches such heights of epic-ness and melancholy that it does more than just pull at the heartstrings. The acoustic opening (which lasts two and a half minutes) features a great melody and heartfelt vocal delivery, making it a beautifully despairing song. Then, the song instantly escalates into a full-on epic rock song, complete with a boy’s choir intoning a chorus of such marvelous beauty. Clocking in at just under 9 minutes, everything about “(*fin),” from its arrangement on down to its production, make it the BEST song to come out this year.

Cities demonstrates that music can be exciting, deep, and soul-enriching, while still being poppy and accessible. It also demonstrates that Anberlin is only getting better with years.

Prime Cuts:
(*fin)
The Unwinding Cable Car
A Whisper and a Clamor
Godspeed

22 Rating: 14