Anchor & Braille- Felt

Stephen Christian is, among most, considered to be a lyrical mastermind. His main project, Anberlin, is his most well-known. But not too many people have heard of his new side-project, Anchor & Braille... which was exactly his plan. Many of the songs Christian wrote were not in the same style as Anberlin, and he felt that some of the lyrics were a bit too personal to be sharing with such a large audience. So he devised Anchor & Braille with the help of Copeland's lead singer, Aaron Marsh, who produced, engineered, and mixed the debut, which Christian titled Felt.

Those who are familiar with Christian's genius know that any new material by him is to be highly anticipated. And the fact that this debut has been worked on for almost four years now is
just one more reason why it should be considered a big deal. But anyone looking for the fun, pop-rock style of Anberlin will probably be disappointed, and maybe a bit surprised at the genre. It's mainly acoustic and very laid back. Such is evident with the first track, "Rust (The Short Story of Mary Agnosia)." Stephen uses his falsetto vocals in places, oftentimes reflecting Marsh's singing style. But his voice perfectly displays the ever-so-sad lyrics to follow along. The acoustic guitar, electric keyboard, some violin, and drums all come together to form a style drastically different from what Anberlin fans are used to. Although I must say that while some of the drums in the song seem out of place with the slower style, they help to keep things a little bit more upbeat than they could have been without. It seems somewhat awkward at first, but after a while it shouldn't be difficult to get used to.

The following track and first iTunes single, "Like Steps in a Dance," is a very beautiful song, with lyrics to match. The drums here are, partially, what give the song its character, and fit just fine. Christian uses his fantastic voice to go with his lyrical talent in an expert manner, again using his falsetto in a lot of the chorus. The song is one of the most outstanding tracks on the album. An electric guitar solo in "Blur" is executed perfectly, keeping the tone set by the first two songs. There is not a moment where the music does not strike as beautiful, except maybe shortly at the end of "Introspect," where the guitar just seems a bit haphazard--but entirely acceptable for a song ending and nowhere in between. Also, at the beginning of "Wedding/Funeral" the music seems to stutter for a bit before taking off. I find this slightly irritating, but nevertheless it assures that things never become too dry.

Christian and Marsh manage to keep things diverse, but not so much that there is any unexpected turn. Things stay true to the style throughout, but they mix up things enough to where there aren't any sound-alikes. A crunchy, static-filled guitar solo in track nine (which has a rather lengthy title) goes against the traditional sound found in the majority of the album, which I would say is the only point where they stray from the original concept.

Something that gives a lot of the songs their calm feel is the violin. I found myself drawn to that more than anything else. In places it's eerie--others it could almost put you to sleep with its peacefulness. It's at its most beautiful in "Summer Tongues." The piano throughout is, also, flawless.

"Sleep. When We Die." is another outstanding song, featuring vocals by Marsh in the bridge, accompanied by a sax or trumpet or some other wind instrument, and an electronic drum beat. Those who've heard Punk the Clock, Vol. 3 will recognize the song as formerly labeled, "Still Sleeping," with a few different sounds in places. Marsh also does some vocals on the following song, "Forget Love, I Just Want You To Make Sense To Me Tonight," the lengthy title I spoke of earlier.

Anberlin fans might be attracted to the song, "Sing Out." I found it slightly reminiscent of Anberlin's sound, while keeping it acoustic. It's a bit more upbeat and catchy than the rest of the music, and it's a rather nice addition. Fans of the "Feel Good Drag" acoustic version should give it a listen. And the final track is yet on more beautiful reminder of why Stephen Christian is so lyrically and musically talented.

From originality to the diversity to the unbelievable mind behind it, Anchor & Braille has managed a debut that will most certainly be remembered among Anberlin fans. While it may not satisfy those looking for another fun album this summer, it's certainly something you could find yourself chilling to. Felt is highly recommended to anyone who's into good music in general. I'll definitely be listening to it for a while.