Posted: September 28th, 2008
Contributed By: Nick

	Purchase @ Amazon.com Release Date: September 30, 2008 via Universal Republic
	Anberlin is: Stephen Christian (Vocals) Joseph Milligan (Guitar) Christian McAlhaney (Guitar) Deon Rexroat (Bass) Nathan Young (Drums)

Overview: Back on April 3, it was reported that, while in the middle of writing and recording for the new Anberlin album, front-man Stephen Christian’s laptop computer was jacked from his car; the PC held the entire assortment of hooks, melodies, and lyrics Christian was working on for the record. Shitty break, but for a band as seasoned as Anberlin, this proved to be only a minor bump in the road. The band wrote, recorded, and toured behind three albums for Tooth and Nail (a fourth album of odds and ends entitled ‘Lost Songs‘ was also released in late 2007), when major label Universal Republic came calling late last year. Anberlin journeyed to NRG Studios in California to team up and begin brainstorming with producer Neal Avron (Fall Out Boy), the man behind the boards for album number five. The band worked feverishly on new ideas, and without letting someone’s really sticky fingers get the group down, Anberlin pressed on and cranked out ‘New Surrender‘ which will be granted freedom on September 30. Request first single “Feel Good Drag” on your local alternative rock/active rock station.

The Good: The “bar” previously set by Anberlin needed, arguably, to be raised, with a big boy label behind them and a big boy producer in tow. I hope the band can still reach said “bar”, because ‘New Surrender‘ shoots it up pretty high. The band commences the surrender of its new craft with the sporty and dashing “The Resistance”. With a notably huskier guitar sound, “The Resistance” is given a whole new dimension and a set of fangs, yet it deploys just enough oomph without overpowering your welcome. “Breaking” is gradually dynamic, the music sounding richer and Stephen Christian’s vocals sounding sterner with each passing second; despite sounding so cinematic, “Breaking” is really three and a half minutes of carte blanche by the band, emitting a natural flavor that’s easy to taste. If you feel like breaking out your Carlton dance, crank up the bootylicious, dance-patterned “Blame Me! Blame Me!” and let ‘er rip. The lively and enthusiastic chorus might pump out an addictively hooky chant, but it doesn’t sell-out the rest of the band’s beat manifesto in the process. “Retrace” is royalty put to song, a reflective track that, upon absorbing a full scale orchestra at 2:32 sounds delightfully warm and cheerfully charming. The first single from ‘New Surrender‘ is “Feel Good Drag”, a song recycled from the band’s 2005 album ‘Never Take Friendship Personal’. To those of you who, like myself, found themselves inseparable with the song a few years ago, you need not be apprehensive, as its 2005 principles were upheld with the original blueprints left alone (sans some light brushing up and a new coat of lacquer). ‘New Surrender‘ bounces off the walls during the feisty, agile “Disappear”, where Anberlin impressively juggles hyperactivity and a rock solid pace without batting an eye. “Burn Out Brighter” is as effervescent as any track on the album, but its slight hints at an earthy, raw side shroud it with an element of allure the others lack. Given the proper chance at radio, the peachy nostalgia dream-cicle “Younglife” could own, chockfull of wondrous childhood still frames that make it hard to mask that smile on your face. If your diet warns you against gushy, dangerously clingy songs, then give it up for one day and turn up “Haight St.”. Rollicking and innocent, the tandem of teen anthem-styled lyrics imbedded in a vibrant, sparkling musical shell makes “Haight St.” a highly addictive, highly guilt-free track to keep coming back to. You will warm up to “Soft Skeletons” the way the song gradually and carefully warms up to you; once it does (and once you do), I dare you to skip this one the next time you pop ‘New Surrender‘ in.

The two gems of ‘New Surrender‘ deserve their own section, because each one is quite powerful in its own way. Up first is “Breathe”, an impassioned and spacious demonstration of faith, hope and determination. The song even tips its hat to Bon Jovi and other arena-era rock acts, but this is petty news. The way Stephen Christian delivers the line “I can finally breathe” transforms this from hopeful tune to miracle music, as its beaming melody and inspirational words make it perfect for any commercial aired during trying times. The second part of this crown is “Misearbile Visu”, the final opus from ‘New Surrender‘. In fact, if you looked up the best representation of a studious, complete work through song in the dictionary, you might see “Misearbile Visu” staring back at you. This celestial and ground-breaking trip challenges itself just as often as it outdoes itself, with each portion of the song a valuable piece of the jaw-dropping puzzle that is “Misearbile Visu”.

The Bad: This is tough, because, well, I can’t really think of anything detracting to ‘New Surrender‘ that I couldn’t just as easily justify. For example, I could say their sound is way to slicked up compared to their old stuff. In rebuttal, though the band experiments and rolls the dice much more musically to make up for it. I could dog Anberlin for prying “Feel Good Drag” from an old album and relying on it as the lead single. However, “Feel Good Drag” is my all-time favorite Anberlin song, so I’m glad the band are as confident in the song as I am, as well as the fact that the old version remained virtually unchanged for its 2008 re-birthing. See what I mean?

Bottomline: I have been an Anberlin fan for a few years now, but I was never goo-goo ga-ga over them the way others I know became. After several runs through ‘New Surrender‘, my penchant for Anberlin keeps getting stronger and stronger. Ironically enough, it was graduating to a major label that enabled Anberlin to fully develop into artists and songwriters, not just Christian-label, emo-rock musicians (although the former brought them notable success…). G’head and get your white flag out and start waving, because once this new Anberlin album comes to town, you will fall to it with complete, unconditional surrender.

Rating: 9 out of 10