Anberlin - New Surrender

I am hear to speak for everyone who loved Cities. The album, I believe, that Anberlin found their sound. The driving arena-emo that had choruses that touched the clouds and guitars that felt like they were breaking down brick walls. The first two Anberlin albums (Blueprints for the Black Market and Never Take Friendship Personal, respectively), were back and forth musical battles between pop/punk hits, like "A Day Late" that sounded like they belong on top 40 radio, and driving, passionate guitar rock that ultimately became their signiature sound. But with Cities, finally the dust settled and what came was one of my favorite albums of the genre. Then I found out that shortly after the release of that album, Anberlin had taken the step from indie powerhouse, Tooth and Nail, to the big leagues of Universal Republic. This, in my opinion, played a significant role in the making of their new album, New Surrender, the album that is the most ambigious effort to date.

The album (almost) begins right where it left off on Cities with "The Resistance". The gang vocals in the chorus allow it to reach about as far as Never Take Friendship Personal. The album continues on with a couple of mediocre Anberlin tracks that would easily find a place on that same record.

The album then takes a turn for the worse with "Retrace". This song easily sounds like it could be on a soft rock/adult contemporary radio station in 10 years. One of the softest, most radio-friendly tracks Anberlin has ever done. The bridge almost brings it back to normal Anberlin status but this seems like a battle the major label won. After comes the first single (and re-recorded version of) "Feel Good Drag". The biggest difference between this and the original is the production. The guitars take over this take to make it sound larger than life, but it does not over-shadow what follows with "Disappear". This song sounds like you just got in a time machine and to took you back to Cities, and as a result is my favorite song on the record. But once you have come back to reality, you realize why you are in love with the past.

The second half of the record starts out solid. The song "Burn Out Brighter (Northern Lights)"is a good old fashioned Anberlin pop song. On this record, 'Anberlin pop' can be hit or miss. This, though, is a bull's eye. But after that track the album lacks what we all love from Anberlin, driving, alternative rock. Instead it is replaced by feel good, top 40 pop/rock ("Younglife", "Haight Street") or sluggish, boring anthems ("Soft Skeletons"). The last song, "Miserabile Visu (Ex Malo Bonum), tries to be an epic closer, but like most of New Surrender, it falls flat on its face.

I was expecting so much more out of this record. I am not going to call Anberlin "sellouts", because I feel like they still know and can write incredible songs ("The Resistance", "Disappear"). Unfortunately, despite 'The Resistance' Anberlin might have put up, it seems like the Universal-Republic won this war.