The Telescope

Issue Date: 3/5/07

Anberlin's new album 'Cities' prays for miracle

By Shaia Moore

Not even divine intervention can save Florida-bred Christian rock band Anberlin's newest album, "Cities." Anberlin members quickly became the new darlings of the punk rock scene with the release of their second album, "Never Take Friendship Personal." Their third album contains none of the rich melodies, tight instrumentation and sinfully-addictive lyrics that helped Anberlin make believers out of the biggest skeptics and prove that even Jesus lovers could be hard rockers.

"Godspeed," the album's first single, is the only song reminiscent of the Anberlin that fans knew and loved. Guitarist Joseph Milligan and drummer Nathan Young explode through the opening riff with impressive precision and vocalist Stephen Christian's deep voice maintains a hard-rock edge without sounding forced.

The lyrics convey remorse about the shallow fame people crave in today's society and lines such as, "they lied when they said the good die young" and, "you kill yourself slowly over time, fashion statement suicide" are delivered with desperate urgency, almost as a warning to listeners.

"Adelaid" with its up-beat chorus and earnest delivery isn't a complete chore to get through, but the song is more pop than punk and the lyrics are juvenile at best. The word "Adelaid" is repeated 26 times, rivaling Gwen Stefani's "Holla Back Girl" as the most annoyingly repetitive song on the planet.

In "A Whisper and a Clamor," Christian encourages listeners to "clap your hands all ye children," but nothing about the song allows for clapping. The guitar-suffocated tempo is rigid and directionless, yo-yoing from fast to slow with no real purpose other than to perhaps trick the people who actually attempted to clap.

The album continues with sleep-inducing tracks including "The Unwinding Cable Car," which is dull and lifeless and Christian sings as if he took multiple sedatives before stepping into the recording studio.

"There Is No Mathematics to Love or Loss," and "Alexithymia," are the biggest disappointments. Anberlin is yet another band to fall prey to the biggest trend in pop-rock music since tight leather pants - the heavy use of a synthesizer.

"Inevitable," is sweet and candid with lyrics such as "I want to be your last first kiss that you'll ever have." The track contains dreamy vocals, lush harmonies, violins and a drumbeat that gets deep under your skin. But it is too little, too late.

"Fin," the final track on the album, is nine minutes of synthesizer-enhanced music, better suited for a funeral than a rock album. Complete with a children's choir and random and unnecessary electric guitar licks, "Fin" is a fitting ending to an overall bizarre, disappointing and out-of-character album.

In "Fin," Christian repeatedly sings, "I am the patron-saint of lost causes." Ironic, being that their album is exactly that - a lost cause. If Cities is any indication of what Anberlin's fourth album will sound like, then Godspeed Anberlin, Godspeed.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools