I like New Surrender, and it's the only Anberlin record I own on vinyl, but I always found it a little inconsistent. Some of their best tracks, then plenty of ones that don't do much for me.
I think Vital is probably my third favourite but I don't like the additions they made for Devotion much at all.
I get that as far as City Electric or Dead American even, but if you don't like "Unstable," "Safe Here," or "Said Too Much" we can't be friends. Those songs are so great. The bridge of Said Too Much hits me so hard: "I'll never be what you want me to be. I can't be what you want me to be. So stay stay." Cities Vital/Devotion Never Take Friendship Personal Dark is the Way, Light is a Place (though Vital, NTFP and Dark are all basically even to me.) New Surrender Lowborn Lost Songs (How was The Haunting not on Cities?) Blueprints to the Black Market (though it still has a top 5 Anberlin song for me on it in Glass to the Arson)
IJSW is a top tier Anberlin song for me. I really like Dead American too, though City Electric is kind of just whatever. Would definitely be near at the bottom for the album, but there's not a song I don't like on Devotion. Also love the b-sides. Unstable is amazing.
I've never gotten the acclaim for "The Haunting," Stephens vocals kinda grate on me for that one. It's okay, but it would be my least favorite Cities song if it were on there
I've never really liked The Haunting all that much either, honestly. Would also be my least favorite on Cities.
"Safe Here", "Said Too Much", and "No Love To Speak" are all jams. "Unstable" is the only Vital outtake I am kinda indifferent to, but it's still not a bad song. As for the Devotion specific recordings, "Dead American" and "IJSW" own pretty hard.
I think my list is pretty close to the majority on here. Top 3 are 3 of my favorites of all time. Cities was the first album I really loved as a music fan, Dark got me back into this band after not listening to them for a few years and Vital was in my CD player of my old car almost non-stop the year it came out. Cities Dark is the Way Vital NTFP New Surrender Lowborn Blueprints With A&B, I loved the first two albums (particularly the second) and I just haven't found myself going back to the new one at all. Maybe in the fall/winter when I start to revisit everything that came out this year, it'll hit harder, because I feel like it'll be a great fall album.
No Love to Speak is great too. Devotion had some rippers man. The acoustic tour set that came with it was phenomenal as well. I'm still upset the recorded the show right after mine on that tour instead of mine (but they made up for it by recording the NTFP/CIties shows)
Yeah The Haunting is incredible. Better than any song not on Cities and it would probably be top 5 on there too.
Didn't realize The Haunting was so popular honestly. haha I guess it's cool so many people like it so much though.
"The Haunting", "Hell or High Water", their Vital outtakes....I think it's safe to say alot of Anberlin's B-sides are better than numerous other band's album cuts.
"The Haunting" and "Uncanny" are probably my two favourite Anberlin B-Sides. Not that into much of their others.
Hell or High Water and All We Have are both really cool b-sides. Also all of the b-sides on the deluxe New Surrender are solid (Especially Perfect Tourniquet)