A debut which displays enormous potential, 'Blueprints For The Black Market' sees Anberlin searching for their niche sound somewhere in between hard-edged rock & pop-punk. The quintet is at their best when at the heavier end of the spectrum ('Readyfuels' & 'Glass to the Arson'), however they occasionally pull off the hybrid sound near-perfectly (the catchy & memorable 'The Undeveloped Story' & emotional 'Cadence'). Even when the album leans towards generic pop-punk, Stephen Christian infuses hooky melodies and provides some moments of brilliance through his commanding & distinct vocals. Recommended Tracks: The Undeveloped Story, Readyfuels, Cadence & Glass To The Arson.
Anberlin's first album, 'Blueprints for the Blackmarket', is a start of something that shows potential for a very good band. But there are kinks that Anberlin had to work out before it could become what it is today. First of all, all the "filler sounds", such as do-do-do, could be done without. Also, the vocals are too dramatically sung. With Stephen Christian's voice, songs like "Readyfuels" and "Glass to the Arson" are good fits, while "Autobahn" and "Foreign Language" are somewhat painful to listen to.
