The first A&B album has some of the best songs he's ever written. Second album had some good stuff too. But yeah, ever since then, his lyric-writing for A&B has left a lot to be desired. Maybe he's trying to write relatively simple pop songs now, but the orchestral stuff on Felt was where his songwriting could really shine.
Felt is strangely one of my least favorite things Stephen has done. A few songs there I really love, but as a whole it’s pretty one-note and sounds so much like Copeland but not as strong as any of their records. I think The Quiet Life is my favorite of all the A&B stuff. Some of his best songwriting and IMO the perfect blend of the early folk stuff and electro stuff that came after. Don’t know why that album doesn’t get as much attention as it does.
i'm still mad we never got to hear the Anberlin version of Before I Start Dreaming. it was gonna be the original closer for Vital.
I thought tension had a lot of fun songs and was more consistent and with a higher floor than quiet life, but quiet life had the highest ceiling and was in general a more elegant and endearing record. Felt and Quiet both just felt so artsy and beautiful that even though I only love a handful of tracks between them it just feels right to say they’re the best.
Well after the first listen I can probably guess which two songs were the A&B ones. I also agree that this EP is the next evolutionary step for this band. Happy they are back, and happy we got these new songs. Wonder how the other EP will sound.
Made a thread. I know it will eventually be the album thread but we can talk about the new music as it comes out over there and folks that want to wait for the album don’t have to see that if they don’t want to. I’ll update the thread as we get new info. Anberlin - Silverline EP / TBA EP (2022) • forum.chorus.fm
I think I could guess which songs were from his other project because they are likely my least favorite here. Overall I like it - pumped to have them back. There’s just so much going on in every song.
what Anberlin song does Asking For sound like? the melody and lyrics are very reminiscent of an earlier song of theirs
Is it possible you were thinking about Body Language? That song completely lifts main riff from "Enjoy the Silence," the Depeche Mode song they covered on Lost Songs. The decision to do that definitely signals to the huge overlap in subject matter between both songs.
i wondered if anyone else noticed that. the guitar part is almost identical. Asking is maybe similar lyrically to their b-side Said Too Much?
It sounded so similar to Enjoy the Silence that I thought it was a call back. Like I thought it was done purposely haha
Has anyone been to the recent tour? Has the show been at 7? Or doors at 7? I’m last minute going to see Cities tonight.
Set tonight Cities encore 1 Circles Atonement Two Graves Encore 2 Naive Orleans I think Stephen said this was the first live performance of Naive since like 2004. I may have misheard him though.