Review Summary: Anberlin's straight-forward indie rock sound is perfected better than any modern indie rock act out there right now.
Anberlin is definitely one of my top favorite bands. Their straight-forward indie rock sound is perfected better than any modern indie rock act out there right now (please keep in mind that I am speaking from the perspective of just this genre).
"Cities" is the band's 3rd major release on Tooth and Nail Records. The record came out on 02/20/07. It released in both a standard and bonus edition. My wife and I picked up the bonus edition (w/3 extra tracks and a DVD) and I must say that this record blew me away.
From the very beginning of this album you are confronted with distorted guitars, an awesome beat and lead singer Stephen Christian's eerily satisfying vocals with the single "Godspeed." The record then shifts to something a bit more familiar to their sophomore release with the pop-rock track "Adelaide." The album switches back and forth between hard rock, mellow rock, and a few pop rock tracks. It's just about every phase of rock you can think of and in the bonus album they even throw in a remake of the popular 80's song "The Promise" (I remembered it from the Napoleon Dynamite soundtrack).
If you are looking for something completely unique and different from previous efforts, you won't necessarily find a sound that is ground-breaking here. Granted that this album is a little "darker" overall than their other albums, this record fits right into the mold that is "Anberlin" and one that we have all grown to love.
Pros: Familiar Anberlin sound that sounds even better than before! Shows you what the indie rock genre should really sound like. Stephen Christian's vocals are some of the most original out there.
Cons: Same old Anberlin sound (for some this is a con).
Stand-out Tracks: Godspeed, Unwinding Cable Car, Inevitable, Dismantle Repair (all of them are great!)
