27 Albums That Shaped the First 27 Years of My Life, #8: Anberlin - New Surrender

As I quickly approach my 27th birthday (an age, coincidentally, that many musicians met their own mortality), I have been thinking about the role that music has played in my life. I have not played an instrument for nearly sixteen years and have never been in a band, but I would still consider myself an audiophile. The 26000 songs on my hard drive would agree with me as well.

Because of all those things, I thought it would be as good a time as any to compile my list of the 27 albums that most shaped these first 27 years of my life. Starting Friday January 31, I will be posting one album from the list every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until we reach #1 just before my birthday.

Let me make one thing abundantly clear: I am not saying that these are the 27 greatest albums of all time. I am not so arrogant to believe that my personal opinion is the definitive voice on music. I like what I like. Hopefully you will be able to unearth some gems from my list. If not, that is alright. These songs and albums are important to me regardless of anyone’s opinions of them.

#8: Anberlin – New Surrender
Release Date: September 30, 2008
When I first heard the album: November 2008

Why I loved it then: From 2003 on, Anberlin was always a band that was on my radar. They continued to put forth good music, but to that point they had not yet put forth anything that connected with me as well as their debut release. Back then, I appreciated the lyrics of Never Take Friendship Personal and the energy of Cities (and as the years have gone on, I’ve learned to enjoy that album more), but I wanted something that really hit with me. From the first guitar riff of the opening track, New Surrender did exactly that. Stephen Christian and the boys brought intensity and emotion that lasted the entire album. While the songs were great, what really connected me to the album was the band’s reasoning for the name. Stephen Christian puts it much better than I could, so I’ll just leave the explanation to him:

We will all come to the point in our life where we have to admit that we feel defeated, that something has conquered us. We must change, not because we want to, but because we desperately have to. We cannot take life in its current suffocating state, even to admit such desperation shows that we are feeling deserted, wandering the barren desert, a shell of our former selves. It is only up from here, it is impossible to sink any lower into ourselves or our circumstances. But we can be salvaged, a deliverance. No vice can stand, no fix can take. The thorn in the side can be removed, but you have to be willing to admit and surrender. Surrender your habits, your lifestyle, your past, your present, and your future. This is your new surrender. The new surrender. New Surrender.

Why I still love it now: Though 2008 was a very productive year (and the more I reflect upon that year, the greater appreciation I have for it), it was not easy. There were a lot of things of which I had to let go. I had to make a conscious effort to let go of certain hopes and dreams and longing for specific relationships so that I could get to the point of moving forward. This album reminds me of that. From a more musical standpoint, I love this album because it takes everything I loved Anberlin after their first three albums, mixes it together, and puts forth something that will rock your face off. Personally, I believe it is a great band’s finest hour.

Lingering Lyric: “Silent alarms are ringing/ Sounds of revolt draw near/ A new united front/ That you will come to fear/ We will hold together/ To become the change/ Voice for the voiceless/ With every common man engaged"
Top Tracks: The Resistance, Breaking, Retrace, The Feel Good Drag, Disappear, Haight St.

Previous Entries
27. Avalon - In a Different Light
26. The Dangerous Summer - Golden Record
25. Just Surrender - If These Streets Could Talk
24. The Lumineers - The Lumineers
23. Relient K - Two Lefts Don't Make a Right... But Three Do
22. Better Luck Next Time - Third Time's a Charm
21. Linkin Park - Minutes to Midnight
20. ZOEgirl - Life
19. My Chemical Romance - Welcome to the Black Parade
18. Anberlin - Blueprints for the Black Market
17. Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
16. Rise Against - The Sufferer & the Witness
15. We the Kings - We the Kings
14. Yellowcard - Ocean Avenue
13. New Found Glory - Nothing Gold Can Stay
12. The Graduate - Anhedonia
11. Hawk Nelson - Letter to the President
10. Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American
9. A Day to Remember - Common Courtesy