Album: New Surrender
Artist: Anberlin
Label: Brave Tooth and Nail
Sounds like: Death Cab for Cutie

There’s something decidedly 80s-glam metal about Anberlin.

Certainly not in their dress sense or in their anything-but-tinny production but behind the emo trappings and ferocity, there is a poppish sensibility not far from the likes of Bon Jovi. This is not a bad thing, mind you, as they get the best of both worlds. For example, take song two on new album New Surrender. Starting with simple piano and guitar (and Stephen Christian’s usual wordy lyrics), it builds to a wall-of-sound chorus that’s heavy on the guitars and frenetic drumming, yet also heavy on sing-a-long-ability. “Haight street” also mines the same vein, with its “Sweet child o’ mine” riffing, Eddie Van Halen solo, simple punchy lyrics (here is evidence perhaps of Christian’s growing pop awareness) and clever nod to those old songs that celebrate without-a-care youth. Album opener “The resistance” is more like the Anberlin of old—clinically steeled riffs that alternatively growl and squeal, and drums of military precision, while “Disappear” is a Muse-like volcano. And Christian’s themes of broken hearts and childhood memories are here again. But there’s a creep toward commercialisation in the slower, gentler (for Anberlin) numbers like “Retrace,” where Christian’s vocals arc dramatically into falsetto. “Breathe,” regrettably, heads toward leaden praise and worship territory—another legacy of the change to a bigger record label perhaps. But you can still rely on Anberlin for well thought out music. On “Burn out brighter,” where other bands would make do with trowelling on the power chords, Anberlin layer on a filigree of guitar notes. While they are inching slowly away from their individuality, it’s their combination of enthusiastic musicianship and pop smarts that continues to make them so interesting.

Nicks rating: 4/5