I think I get what you're saying. Cities is my all time favourite record but the production and mixing seemed to improved on the following records. It is hard to describe but it just feels a bit less dynamic maybe?
Cities can kind of feel "maxed out" and doesn't really give each instrument room to breathe, but that was kind of how all bands sounded in this era.
Yea definitely a product of the time. Everything was over compressed in an attempt to give it a wall of sound vibe. I’d be really intrigued to get a newly mixed Cities. Lots of great songs.
I think it was in an effort to sound "big". Back then there was still a chance of that breakthrough radio hit (see Feel Good Drag), so albums were kind of produced in a way to try to shoot for that.
I definitely echo what people are saying. Music production back then, to me, was very “crunchy” in that all the instruments sound like they were recorded together then forced through a master EQ channel so it’s that typical wall of sound I think for the LP boxset they mention a different mixing process for Cities but I can’t remember the details
I'd be surprised if they actually remixed anything in the box set. I know for sure they were remastered (had to be for Cities and New Surrender to fit on a single LP). But perhaps the remastering did something to help. Anyone finding something to like about the Cities livestream mix?
Not really. Anberlin is great live because of their energy and crowd interactions, but otherwise I'd just listen to the albums.
For me the one song that really improves with the live version is "There is No Mathematics to Love and Loss" ... both on the Live in NY album and this livestream. The guitars seem way heavier live which really helps the song imo
I often forget this band created "Dissenter," what a wild fucking song for them to release. I can't say I love it, but I appreciate them going for it
Yeah they said two more albums and a bunch of more stuff apparently. Pretty cool. Always hope to hear an update on the album on these streams.
I know it's extremely unlikely, but Devotion live would be amazing. Vital is my favorite album of theirs, but some of the "extra" tracks on Devotion are among my top favorite songs, too. Maybe they'll do a b-sides stream eventually to pick some of those up. They already played "I'd Like to Die" in an earlier stream, so I don't think it's out of the question to hear non-album tracks, so to speak.
I really, I mean really hope that they'll do the two more live records (Vital and Lowborn) and after that they will announce the new record and (maybe?) play it live on stream as well?
yeah I have slept on all these livestreams but I will go all in on a vital one, fave album of theirs by a mile
If I were going to show someone Anberlin for the first time I’d just give them Devotion and let them go from there. What an impressive collection of songs.