There was once a time, circa 2006-2007, where I would listen
to the majority of albums released by Tooth And Nail Records. Based out of
Seattle, Washington, the label was a powerhouse in the Christian rock scene,
and with good reason. In a two year period from early 2006 to early 2008, Tooth
And Nail released phenomenal albums from The Classic Crime (Albatross), Mae (The Everglow), Underoath (Define
the Great Line), Emery (The Question),
As Cities Burn (Come Now, Sleep), The
Almost (Southern Weather), Secret and
Whisper (Great White Whale) and
Anberlin (Cities).
Yeah, there were some stinkers along the way, but almost
every record label has at least one band that doesn’t live up to the other
bands on its roster. But look at the volume of great albums released in that
span (I didn’t even reference Underoath’s They’re
Only Chasing Safety, which came out in late 2005) and you can see why they
quickly became my favorite label. However, by far the most important release is
that last album I mentioned. Anberlin’s
Cities became the soundtrack to my transition from middle school to high
school. It is an album that I still count in my top 10 of all time. Tooth And
Nail had a hand in bringing that piece of art to my ears and I will be forever
grateful for that.
That just about brings up to today, August 31; the day on
which the lead singer of that very same band, Stephen Christian, is releasing
the second album by his side project Anchor and Braille on… Tooth and Nail Records.
Though I don’t listen to the albums put out by the label as I once obsessively
did, I did give this album a listen and am pleased to say that The Quiet Life is an album that carries
on the legacy of the label.
Those familiar with the first Anchor and Braille album, Felt, will be very surprised by the
direction The Quiet Life strays. It
keeps the band’s style, more philosophical and faith-based lyrics over a
quieter, less abrasive aesthetic than Christian’s main band Anberlin, but goes
about this in a completely different style. Mixing in vocal filtering effects
and programmed drum beats to haunting piano and other varying instrumentations,
the songs are very different than the rather straightforward song constructions
of Felt. “Kodachrome” is the zaniest offender of this, with a dissonant synth
mixing with oddly rhythmed guitar chords and a spastic drum beat, all while
Christian’s voice was distorted in the studio to provide a uncomfortable but
rewarding listening experience. “Knew Then Know Now” starts out with the same
effects as “Kodachrome,” with the main vocal hook (the chorus melody) being
distorted and layered at the beginning and end of the song, but the chorus is
also the catchiest of the album. Other songs on the album sound like more
fleshed out versions of the tracks on
Felt. In particular, “Find Me,” which features the lyrics on which the
album title was named, sounds like it could have been on the band’s debut.
One of the songs released on Youtube before the album was
released, “In With The New” stakes its claim for being one of the ten best
songs released this year. The chorus, while coming fast and furious, is somehow
catchier and catchier each time I relisten to it. And the haunting oohs in the
postchorus are the best element to any song on this album. The instrumental bridge
is classic Anberlin, with Christian letting the music carry the feeling and
message of the song.
Album closer “Before I Start Dreaming” sounds like it was
recorded in the same studio session as Anberlin B-side “I’d Like To Die
(Moments After You)” (a song which I said on this blog before is my favorite
Anberlin song). The song displays Christian’s vocal range and talent foremost,
with the simple instrumentation putting the spotlight directly on Stephen’s
perfect falsetto. It’s the ideal closer to this album as instead of distorting
the vocals of the band’s frontman, the song brings them to the forefront. And
he shows why he is quite easily on of the best vocalists around.
Bottom Line: The creativity exhibited on this album is a
testament to the ability level of the man at its helm. Christian has said that
Anberlin’s next album (October 16th) will be the most aggressive of
their career to date. If this is true, then I’m glad Christian has given fans
this album as a compliment and addition to Vital
when it comes out. The dichotomy between the two can only help, not hurt, the
overall reaction to both albums.
Recommended if you rock: Anberlin, Copeland, Tooth And Nail
Records
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