Grace Hotel
  Overall rating: +++-

Album Reviews

For some bands and musicians, the writing process can be a torturous and grueling kind of thing; a period of doubt, fear, and indecision that can last for months, if not years. For Orlando, Florida's Anberlin, the process seems to have been somewhat kinder. In only a year's time, they have not only been able to construct and compose an entire album "s worth of material, but they have also maintained a relentless live schedule and generated enough of a buzz to get signed to Seattle's Tooth and Nail Records. Yet, what may be most impressive is not the speed with which the band has matured and flourished, but, rather, the quality and consistency of the songwriting. Blueprints for the Black Market is a sweeping, hard-charging work that combines thick, dynamic, driving guitars with memorable hooks that stick in your head long after the disk has stopped spinning in your player.

The opening scorcher, the aptly-titled "Readyfuels," lays the foundation for the band's accessible sound beginning with a writhing, aggressive riff that fades into the churning palm-muted groove of the verse before exploding into an anthemic chorus that just crackles with unbridled energy. That is followed by the much poppier "Foreign Languages," which has Anberlin adopting a pop/punk and emo aesthetic, while "Change the World (The Lost Ones)" is another soaring hard-rock burner with electrifying start/stop dynamics and a big, stadium rock chorus. "Cold War Transmissions" showcases guitarists Joseph Milligan and Joey Bruce's twin guitar exhortations - fierce, bombastic rhythms that intertwine and then break apart with maddening agility. In the meantime, drummer Nathan Young's dexterous pounding helps to keep things grounded, while bassist Deon Rexcoat's fluid, pulsating lines lend weight and a sense of serpentine movement to the affair.

Despite their well-developed chops and formidable sense of melody, Anberlin are not above delving into the trite, angst-ridden rock that is corroding commercial radio. "Glass to the Arson," specifically, sounds suspiciously like something Staind might come up with. It is at these times where the band is spared by talented vocalist Stephen Christian. I must admit that I was initially put off by his warm tone and overtly articulate delivery - it seemed too tame and restrained to fit with the aggressive hard-rock trappings the band's music was attempting to project. But after repeated listens, his carefully calculated vocals seeped their way into my head and won me over. Listening to Christian and the rest of Anberlin inject the Cure's "Love Song" with some much-needed muscle power is a true treat. Ironically, it is on the more subdued songs - such as the terminally dull 80s nostalgia of "Autobahn" and the equally droll emo musings of "Native Orleans" - that it is most difficult to reconcile Christian's rich, deep tenor with the band's music. However, incendiary tracks like the simmering "Cadence" boil and burn with a refreshing emotional grit and melodic force that more than make up for the few creative lapses on the album.

All in all, Blueprints for the Black Market is a solid debut that should find its way into a whole lot of car stereos and CD players this summer. Similar to melodic rockers like Cave In and Foo Fighters, the band manages to successfully integrate many elements of the modern rock landscape - from harsh and aggressive hard rock riffing to dreamy pop experimentation - without sacrificing clarity or conviction. The production, courtesy of Aaron Sprinkle (Pedro the Lion, Waxwing), is tight, slick, and well-balanced, sparkling with youthful urgency. With some luck and perseverance, Anberlin should have a fighting chance at making some waves on the national radar. Give this one a chance; you won't be disappointed.

 ~ Moe Castro

This was a complete surprise. After first inspection of the layout, label and the total package I was expecting a sugary pop record complete with safe riffs and a even safer record but I was totally blown away. This five piece band shares simlarities with some Tooth and Nail contemporaries but I am not speaking about the more modern bands but bands like Roadside Monument and Stavesacre that laid the foundation for that label.

The production on this record is honestly one of the better recordings I have ever heard with Aaron Sprinkle (Waxwing, MXPX) taking the helm and focusing in on the more rock elements of the band rather than making them sound polished beyond belief. I hear a bit of Third Eye Blind in their sound as well as some Hoobastank (do NOT take this as a inslut, I actually like Hoobastank thank you very much) in some of their guitar work. I can see this band becoming a mainstay at events like Cornerstone but hopefully they are not content merely staying confined to the ranks of many christian rock bands of the past and playing to "their" crowd only and not branching out.

Often overlooked by most of the indie/hardcore kids that this record would certainly be at home with, Anberlin have created a record that will stick in your head long after you turn off the disc. Sans some of the lyrical content, I see no real reason to not buy this. It makes me still have hope that people like good music rather than all of the washed out imitations that have plauged our musical community.

~ Ray Harkins

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