It's because people keep getting it wrong and they need to update to look more like this: 1. Cities 2. Vital 3. NTFP 4. Dark is the way and the light path is a place and the way 5. New Surrender 6. Blueprints 7. Low Born
I'll forgive you for putting Lowborn last if only because I really like how you titled Dark is the Way.
I mean I don't just lump every Anberlin song into that catagory haha. I would say there are anywhere from 2-4 songs on each album that I would give that distinction (Except for Vital/Devotion where I want to put at least half of the songs from that cycle, if not more among them haha)
My gut says cities is top but I far and away listen to Vital the most now. As for the others, I think each (minus NS and the natural coming-of-age-ness of blueprints) were executed really really well for what they were going for, so my ranking on any given day is more a reflection of what I want to listen to that day than quality. I’d roughly say: Cities/Vital NTFP/lowborn DITWLIAP Blueprints New Surrender All the positive praise and discussion makes me giddy.
In my mind its vital and lowborn well ahead of everything else. I much prefer the gritty anberlin and their other albums are just too uneven a listen. *canuhandlethehottakes
Cities Vital Dark NTFP NS Lowborn Blueprints This is gonna be a super unpopular opinion around here but I really haven't gone back to Lowborn much at all after it came out. Given the limitations that were upon them when they made it, the limited amount of time spent together, only 10 songs with no B sides, it's pretty good, but to me it clearly sounds like just that.... an Anberlin album created with major time constraints. I mean, Stephen is literally yelling words out of a random book for one of the songs.
Not sure I’ve done this yet. Here we go! Cities Vital Never Take Friendship Personal Lowborn New Surrender Blueprints for the Black Market Dark is the Way, Light is a Place
One of my biggest revelations during this bracket is that I like New Surrender way more than I used to.
1. I'm quite satisfied to see that my thoughts on Lowborn being a divider between Anberlin's "stronger" and "weaker" albums is given credibility in three of these lists. Even though I'd put it higher. 2. I'm quite unsatisfied to see a few lists put it at #6 or #7. 3. Lists are satisfying.
Armageddon We Are Destroyer (I think Hearing Voices is my least fav) Stranger Ways Birds of Prey (drumming on VCB is fantastic though) After re listening I'm realizing Losing It All is one of my favs and it got voted out first round. Sad day. Anyways I really love this album, forgot how much I enjoy it. Great way to go out
1. Vital/Devotion 2. Cities 3. Dark Is the Way, Light Is a Place 4. Lowborn 5. Never Take Friendship Personal 6. Blueprints for the Black Market 7. New Surrender (All of these are fantastic albums.)
I agree. I had to relisten to this for this poll. I just forgot about it after I saw their farewell show
Ugh, fine. 1. Vital/Devotion 2. Dark is the Way, Light is a Place 3. Cities 4. Lowborn 5. New Surrender 6. Never Take Friendship Personal 7. Blueprints for the Black Market The only difficult choice here was New Surrender And Never Take Friendship Personal. I put NS over NTFP simply because I think it’s more consistent. I think the strongest songs on NTFP are stronger than the strongest on NS, but I think the weaker songs are also much weaker.