Allan’s World of Music

Anthem In - Self Titled Review
10 May 2008, Allan @ 9:28 pm

Anthem In’s album comes out on June 24th and while this album is yet to be released physically, I’ve had it for quite some time. It would be nice to be patient enough to wait until around the release date but I can’t wait…this album is too good and has demanded my attention thus far.

The band is based out of Brooklyn but the story of how they got together is hard to summarize in a few words, some met in Atlanta, “hooked up” (-not literally I think) in New York. The story isn’t as important I guess as they are a relatively new band with next to none popularity, say a few posts around the blogosphere.

Besides I feel like the other press they’ve received characterizes the music poorly calling them indie pop/dance. It really does sell this music short especially Matthew Dunehoo and Allen Orr’s work on the guitar. They are more like Les Savy Fav with hints of pop rock intertwined. I guess Dance-punk is a genre that could correctly characterize them but the key word is punk as the guitaring on this album is pretty damn fun with awesome intros and occasionally pulling off some rocking riffs. Definitely the most defining part of this album that allows Anthem In to stand out is the guitaring..who doesn’t like a band that just rocks?

Add into the mix Allen Orr who’s vocals are quite clean and one can compare it to a mix of Chris Walla and Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie. I don’t think it hurts in the least bit to have a good singer who you could probably argue belongs in a “softer” band but that makes Anthem In unique. To add to the mix is Ashley Proffitt’s female vocals and wurlizter (it’s a piano/keyboard I think) where she doesn’t take away from the guitaring and is usually in background but it complements it perfectly. It gives them an incredible amount of flexibility of what this band can do. No song is boring, each is its own adventure.

This album has dominated my ears the past few weeks and I’ve come pretty enthusiastic about a band that has only has 7,000 myspace hits. They need some more publicity!!!!!! Obviously giving out a good review and recommending them to some friends is probably as far as I can go…if you like them do your best to spread the word.

Rating: 4.75 out of 5.
If anything while there are a ton of elements I whole-heartedly dig, not perfect because I think they can show more then just 2-3 minute songs but for a band’s first release it is excellent and I expect to go back to the album more often then not for the rest of 2008. Maybe not as strong lyrically either but that’s rather minor and just nitpicking on my part. If you notice, I gave Cut Copy’s In Ghost Colours a 4 out of 5…I believe Anthem In’s self titled is a superior album.

Five Minutes by Anthem In

Down by Anthem In

8034 by Anthem In

Photograph by Anthem In

2 Comments for “Anthem In - Self Titled Review”

1. Swin — June 10, 2008 @ 10:01 pm
   

   Photograph’s a good song. Like Cut Copy also. Nice selections.

2. Anthem In: Questions & Answers | Allan's World of Music — June 13, 2008 @ 5:59 pm
   

   [...] 5:59 pmAnthem In releases their self-titled debut on June 24th and I am really digging their album which I reviewed and gave it a 4.75 out of 5. It was actually the first album I put on my Zune (which I got for [...]

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