Anberlin's new CD

There’s a very hackneyed saying, “don’t put off for tomorrow what you can do today.” For a while now I had been putting off talking about the new Anberlin album and now Andrew beat me to it. I had been listening to “Ready Fuels” for almost six months before I got around to buying the first album, Blueprints for the Black Market. I almost immediately fell in love with the band’s music. I put it on my workout playlist and it was what I listened to for about a month and one half while working out. My fiancee said it was the first time she had heard an album where she liked every single song. When I found out they had come out with a new record in February, I set out to buy it.

What a different album this one was! Whereas the first album was mostly a happy or neutral album, the new one was much more raw. After just one listen through the album I came to a conclusion: the song-writer had suffered a broken heart. Almost every single song on the album is about a girl who sold him out in some way. Andrew talked about “Paperthin Hymm” which was definitely a sad song, especialy with lyrics like:

Who’s gonna call on Sunday morning? Who’s gonna drive you home? I just want one more chance to put my arms in fragile hands I thought you said forever Over and over

One of my favorite songs for the way the music is arranged is “A Day Late”

So let me get this straight Say now you love me all along? What makes you hesitate To tell me in words what you really feel? I can see it in your eyes you mean all of what you say I remember so along ago saying I felt the same way Now we both have separate lives and lovers (and lovers) Insignificately enough we both have significate others

Only time will tell Time will turn and tell

We are who we were with Could’ve been lovers but at least you’re still my day late friend We are who We are who we were with Who knew what we know now Could’ve been more but at least you’re still my day late friend We are who We are who we were with

anymore Lust come and go and this I know I’m not who you recall anymore But I must confess you’re so much more then I remember Can’t help but entertain this thought Thoughts of us together

We are who we were with Could’ve been lovers but at least you’re still my day late friend We are who We are who we were with Who knew what we know now Could’ve been more but at least you’re still my day late friend We are who We are who we were with

My day late friend

So let me get this straight All these years and you were no where to be found And now you want me for your own But you’re a day late and my love just still renown

We are who we were with Could’ve been lovers but at least you’re still my day late friend We are who We are who we were with Who knew what we know now Could’ve been more but at least you’re still my day late friend We are who We are who we were with

my other current favorite is “Stationary Stationery”:

Do they not have pen or paper where you are ‘Cause I haven’t heard from you in ages I relive each memory From time to time With notes exchanged With all the scented pages It’s comin back It’s all comin back to me now Tell me everything turned out alright ‘Cause I’m well and we said That we’d meet tonite Does he treat you like you want? Does he ask to take your hand? Does he believe in dreams we talked about? Though with no music we dance I thought you said that you’d come find me I thought you said you’d be home by now I heard you say that you’d come back here So I wrote to remind you somehow Dance by yourself and Think of me when you do I’m not sure you understand What this means to me What you do to me I’m willing to prove That you’re the one I regret to slip away Now I know it was only you That I’ve been searchin for And missin all this time I thought you said that you’d come find me I thought you said you’d be home by now I heard you say that you’d come back here So I wrote to remind you somehow I thought you said that you’d come find me I thought you said you’d be home by now I heard you say that you’d come back here So I wrote to remind you somehow Let the past be past Let’s start today And let us both do I need to see your face Tell me where to be I’ll tell you why we shouldn’t be (I’ll tell you why we shouldn’t be) I thought you said that you’d come find me I thought you said you’d be home by now I heard you say that you’d come back here So I wrote to remind you somehow I thought you said that you’d come find me I thought you said you’d be home by now I heard you say that you’d come back here So I wrote to remind you somehow

In the first he laments a girl who he once dated and thought everything would be perfect. However, they drifted apart and now they each other other significant others. They want to get together, but it’s too late. It certainly wouldn’t be fair to their current boy/girl friends to leave them for the other. In the latter, again he has been abandoned, but this time by a girl who just dissapearted into the ether. She doesn’t write him anymore and I absolutely love the first line. It’s sharp, witty, and cautic. It almost stings me and I didn’t do anything wrong.

While all of the songs are really well written and really well performed, it’s just an overall darker album than the previous one. Nothing wrong with that, but I would certainly like a return to a happier day. Perhaps on the next album. Anberlin continues to rock with extremely poetic titles and lyrics. Go check them out.

• Anberlin