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| Anberlin has an alternative beat and introspective tone to their lyrics that caught me in Blueprints for the Black Market, and compelled me to hurry to purchase Never Take Friendship Personal. Stephen Christian has an ‘everyman’ sound to his voice and their depictions of relationship in the ups and downs of life come across in their angst. |
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| DETAILS -Windows Media |
| 1. Never Take Friendship Personal
2. Paperthin Hymn
3. Stationary Stationery
4. (the symphony of) blasé
5. Day Late
6. Runaways
7. Time & Confusion
8. Feel Good Drag
9. Audrey, Start the Revolution!
10. Heavy Hearted Work of Staggering Genius
11. dance, dance Christa Päffgen
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Title: Never Take Friendship Personal
Artist: Anberlin
In the past few years since the release of Bright Eyes’ fourth full-length album, Lifted or The Story Is In The There's only one word that comes immediately to mind when describing Anberlin's Never Take Friendship Personal release. The word? Amazing. This is one of those truly remarkable releases that is so refreshing, so defining, and so well done, you will feel a need to let every know about it. Much like Switchfoot's The Beautiful Letdown and D.C. Talk's Jesus Freak, Anberlin's second release captures the musical styles of the day but recasts them in a unique and exciting way. Much credit up front should go to producer Aaron Sprinkle, who never lets the music overshadow Steven Christian's emotive alto vocals. Joseph Milligan's guitar work is nothing short of phenomenal and propels such blistering tracks like "Paperthin Hymn," "Runaways," and "Feel Good Drag." Let's not forget the rock-steady rhythm from drummer Nathan Young and bassist Deon Rexroat that continually lays down a concrete foundation. Also worthy of note is the intelligent songwriting that prevails throughout the release, showing that Christian-based bands don't always check their brains at the studio door. Moody at times, exhilarating at others, this is a giant leap forward for a relative newcomer in Christian music. It's also a release worthy of widespread acclaim and a breath of fresh air in a genre that is sadly growing all too predictable. --Michael Lyttle
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 Anberlin has an alternative beat and introspective tone to their lyrics that caught me in Blueprints for the Black Market, and compelled me to hurry to purchase Never Take Friendship Personal. Stephen Christian has an ‘everyman’ sound to his voice and their depictions of relationship in the ups and downs of life come across in their angst.
The embers of Ecclesiastes burn behind the frustration of “Never Take Friendship Personal.” Anberlin sings that “The greatest tragedy is not your death/But a life without reason.” Relationships are fleeting and friends will fail you but there is a sanity that must be maintained by each person in their life, proposes the singer. His lack of compassion quickly turns to his own sadness and loneliness in “Paperthin Hymn.” Once again, the brokenness of relationships has left him feeling down, but the sharp contrast shows Sunday mornings, with opportunities for praising God. Everything, especially relationships, seems meaningless.
 “Stationary Stationery” rings of regret, for a girl who got away, but the cause seems to be the singer’s own mistakes in non-committal behavior. He wants another chance at love, but Anberlin’s message seems to be that broken relationships are out of chances. “(The Symphony of) Blasé” tones down the hard rock but the pain seems to be more emphatically proclaimed. A relationship that feels right lacks substance and the cost of their actions together turns the singer from his girlfriend, ignoring her defense. He prays “God if you can hear me out alright/Please take these feelings for her inside…You’re wasting me away.” The caustic relationship seems to be eating him alive and he knows he has to make a change.
An old lover returns in “A Day Late,” desiring that their love be rekindled but Anberlin has brushed ‘wasted’ relationships aside. Each person becomes defined by who they are with and when they are together, a portion of them gets left behind. The ‘one who got away’ theme reoccurs in “Runaway Girl,” as he challenges an interested woman with his understanding of her reasons for attraction. He quickly changes focus as he admits that he only stayed to break her heart, a defense mechanism of abandonment before being abandoned. Anberlin seems to walk a fine line as the wounded party, but they have also traversed on the side of the line where the power to inflict pain exists.
 “Time and Confusion” provide the first optimistic option for love on the album. Here, the singer has found a girl, the life they live together seems bright, and he longs to stay together forever. He recognizes that “it’s not about the money we make/It’s about the passions that we ache for” and urges her to tell him what she hopes for in him. The feel-good moment is short-lived as Anberlin dives back into the subject of a two-timing relationship in “The Feel-Good Drag.” In a town where “Everyone in this town/Is seeing someone else/Everybody tired of someone/Our eyes wander for help/I’m tired of who I am.” Anberlin admits to stumbling down a road of cheating and betrayal, but ultimately their response is one of seeing the problem within themselves. Before they can fix the relationships that they are in, they have to search themselves. Having admitted this, they laud for “Audrey, Start the Revolution!” Here the tale of relationship-wrecked individuals joins as one—if they can live in true love together, then they can overcome all that is their past.
Anberlin may be too sad for some but by identifying their weaknesses and calling them into the light, the opportunity for improvement is greater. With thought-provoking lyrics, and obvious experience in relationships, the band strikes a blow for love and meaning in interpersonal communication. Given their expression of faith in interviews, the love they claim comes from Christ, the master of human relationships!
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| BIO
Stephen Christian - Vocals
Joeseph Milligan - Guitar
Deon Rexroat - Bass Guitar
Nathan Strayer - Guitar
Nathan Young - Drums
When Anberlin signed to Tooth & Nail Records in the summer of 2002, you could almost see the stars in their eyes. Though wide-eyed awe generally accompanies a brand new, blooming band upon being given a major green light to their prospective career, there was something so instantly captivating about these Florida boys that immediately made believers of their biggest skeptics.
And with one of the most electrifying line-ups in tact, singer Stephen Christian, guitarist Joseph Milligan, bassist Deon Rexroat and protégé drummer Nate Young were ready to take the world by storm; Furthermore their 2003 debut release, “Blueprints for the Black Market,” was a perfect launch to do so. Instantly charming audiences with their incessant choruses, shredding guitar lines and sheer pop-perfection, the album immediately received critical acclaim, something Anberlin had no problem backing up on stage as they joined tours with bands like Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, and Story of the Year.
With two years, hundreds of tour dates and tens of thousands of copies of “Blueprints…” sold since then, Anberlin are eagerly poised for what's next. With time comes obvious maturity, something vocalist Stephen Christian doesn't shy away from.
“I don't feel that we as Anberlin have evolved into something our fans won't recognize,” Christian explains, “but I definitely think we have matured musically and broadened our listening tastes, coming into our own as a band.”
This evolution can be witnessed in full on their February 2005 full-length sophomore release, “Never Take Friendship Personal.” Created with “Blueprints…” producer Aaron Sprinkle, who recorded their debut without ever seeing the band live, the obvious change of NTFP from its predecessor is that magic word: maturity. But after Sprinkle witnessed the band's live set for himself, something else was quick to change as well. “Never seeing us live, he never knew how intense we were,” says Christian. “He realized that the second album had
to reflect what he saw live…energy.”
The energy nearly leaps off the disc mere seconds into the first track as Milligan's guitar explodes through the opening riff, captivating the listener with bated breath. Each instrument and vocal delivery are not only dynamic, but filled with a real sense of confidence only experience could bring them. Even in diverse tracks like the ballad “Symphony of Blasé,” Anberlin shine both individually and as a collective force.
For a band that seems to have no problem creating hit songs, and joining some of the biggest tours in the country, success is almost expected. Still, it's one of the facets Anberlin have yet to fully come to terms with. “We are amazed at the reaction from the last album, “ Christian elaborates. “It's crazy how many bigger bands in our genre know our music and love ‘Blueprints…' Just tonight we were here in North Carolina and an older gentleman came up to me and we talked for a couple of minutes about bands and music. He went on to tell me that his son Adam had gotten him hooked on Anberlin and he had been a fan ever since. I learned after leaving the show that the man that I had met was Adam from Taking Back Sunday's dad!! I couldn't believe it! Adam got his
dad hooked on our music!”
And just as it had that first summer, the sparkle returns to Christian's eye, even brighter than before, but this time showing so much more than mere potential of a young band, more than the excitement of what “could be.” This time there is a new confidence brewing, an excitement that is not only explosive but silently assuring their rise to the top. |
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