4Play

Nov. 16, 2008

Anberlin - New Surrender - Universal Republic
Alt-emo rockers Anberlin have somehow managed to achieve a decently high level of accomplishment on both their emo-fied ballads and their grit-filled rock numbers, quite an unusual feat. Acoustically, they take a low-level, chill mood and channel it into tunes like “Younglife” and “Still Counting Backwards” - add a few distorted guitars and a more aggressive stance, and you’ll find the band also fits well into tracks like “Disappear,” “Breaking,” and “Haight Street.” The production - by Fall Out Boy/Yellowcard guru Neal Avron - also assists this wide-swinging range of sound, as do the diverse styles of the band’s two guitarists; all of these seemingly unmatched elements work quite well to make up a cohesive album.


We the Kings - We the Kings - S-Curve
Along the same lines as All-American Rejects, We the Kings stick pretty much to the emo-rock genre formula... and don’t do much else with it. The songs are admittedly hooky to a degree, but once you delve a little farther, you’ll find fairly banal lyrics and a low level of concept within the songs themselves. “Check Yes Juliet” is aimed squarely at college and Top 40 radio, although it might be destined to be a one-hit wonder, if anything, if the rest of the album is any indication. It’s decent if you just want something loud to jump around to, and the guys seem to be decent performers, but if you want any depth at all, you’re better off looking elsewhere.



Hawthorne Heights - Fragile Future - Victory
It’s a slightly different Hawthorne Heights these days, following the unfortunate passing of core band member Casey Calvert; but it is admirable that the band is carrying on in order to create more music for themselves and for their fans. These tracks are obviously missing Calvert’s vocal influence, which also means they are a bit more subdued; but it is still a decent effort and an interesting change-up in the band’s overall musical feel. Many of the lyrics, as might be expected, are quite reflective, especially those on songs like “Come Back Home” and “Sugar in the Engine”; musically, it’s still quite upbeat-rock in spite of the saddened undertone, but it’s that balance that perhaps makes the album sound approachable and real.


Something Corporate - North - Geffen
Following up their previous set, Leaving Through the Window, seems to have been done in a hurry by Something Corporate; while much of the songwriting is solid, some of the production doesn’t do justice to the set, which lacks a little in dynamics. Opening with the very pretty “As You Sleep,” which is graced with a perfectly-tinkling piano sound, the album moves somewhat slowly through songs like the peppy “Space,” the unusually-lyric’d “Me and the Moon,” and the strong hooks of “Ruthless” and “The Runaway.” “She Paints Me Blue” is also a piano highlight, with the piano chords taking on more quirky forms and minor tones, a great backdrop for Andrew McMahon’s dark yet insightful lyrics.