It's hard to keep track of all these emo/emo-pop groups that are coming out. With the success of such bands as The Promise Ring, and The Get Up Kids, and Reggie and the Full Effect, you can be sure many more pop bands will be headed to record stores in your area. But amidst all the bands, make sure you find the time to check out The Anniversary.
The first time you heard of them was probably from the split that they did with The Get Up Kids, and that won't be the last time. "Designing a Nervous Breakdown" is an incredible album that is so much more accessible than run of the mill emo bands. Incorporating heavy synth sounds, with electric drums, group shout choruses, and catchy hooks throughout, The Anniversary reminds you of a time when melody mattered, pop reigned, and pop rocked.
Never on the heavy side, The Anniversary puts on a show of danceable tunes that grab onto your senses. The minor chord progressions are layered throughout the musical construction to create a sound that can leave you with a sad sentiment, but then with the same song, they will create a bridge that sends you climbing higher.
The vocalists are male and female with great harmonizing. On a few songs, it seems as if they were sung face first into a bucket, which gives the album killer indie rock sensibilities. The lyrics are as melancholy as they are abstract, catching your attention throughout the course of the album. This album is not by a Christian band, but I would recommend it to most Christians looking for an album that sounds different and lifts your spirits.
4.5 tocks
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