Review Summary: The blueprint was later revised, but this was an impressive first draft of the Anberlin formula.
It’s always interesting to witness the humble beginnings of well-respected bands, and to trace their train of evolution into the powerhouse they became to garner so much respect. Such is the case with Anberlin, as over the course of fourteen years, the band encompassed many styles and approaches, from their earlier grunge/alternative rock, to their later experiments with pop rock and “radio metal”. Even though the group disbanded in late 2014, they were one of the most sought-after and loved groups, both by the Christian and secular market. They are still considered a powerful force in alternative rock, especially for their 2007 masterpiece
Cities, but how did the band’s first two albums fare? Though both are strong, they fell relatively under the radar in comparison to later works like
New Surrender,
Cities, and
Vital. And though both were flawed compared to an album like Cities, they function as some awesome humble beginnings.
Blueprints For The Black Market is a good blueprint, if you will, that dictates what the group would later build on to become the supergroup they were before disbanding.
The tone of
Blueprints For The Black Market varies from bouncy and happy to pensive and angsty, and Stephen Christian was a capable vocalist to convey both emotions. As can be expected, the music goes with the mood, so the darker numbers are heavier, and the lighter numbers are restrained. Though Christian was easily Anberlin’s strongest facet, with his ability to drift far into his higher range and occasionally break out in almost-screams or a full-out scream, don’t let that turn you off from the rest of Anberlin. Much of the band’s core sound rested on the grungy, Drop-D riffs of guitarists Nathan Strayer and Joey Bruce, especially the harder numbers. The rhythm section was also fully capable, with bassist Deon Rexroat and drummer Nathan Young carrying a few of the songs on their backs. Another strong addition to Anberlin’s sound was their ability to switch from dark and heavy to light and poppy, and though this can be slightly jarring, it both serves for variety and can cater to whatever mood the listener is in.
Of course, some Anberlin classics came off this record. Opener “Ready Fuels” packs a punchy guitar work, an energetic vocal delivery, a gleefully melodic chorus, and dueling guitar solos. It was a live staple and many remember it as one of the group’s best songs. Speaking of rockers, angst-filled attacks like “Glass To The Arson” and “Change The World (Lost Ones)” have some of the best guitar work all record and have Stephen pulling off some half-screams and sounding righteously pissed off. A song like “Autobahn” sticks out because it’s actually quite poppy, dominated by soothing vocals, acoustic guitar, and a cheery synth lead, while “Love Song” stands out for its slight blues feel, beautiful keyboard part, and bass-dominated chorus. “Cadence” blends deep-seated anger with graceful thankfulness, and is dominated by gritty vocals and punchy guitar. Songs like “Foreign Language” and “Cold War Transmissions” hint at some of the poppier elements Anberlin would experiment with later on, though both have strong guitar and the former is practically carried by the rhythm section. “Foreign Language” is also annoyingly catchy and will be stuck in the listener’s head days after hearing it, and the same goes for “Cold War Transmissions.”
None of the band members hold the group down, so none of them are negatives at all. However, the album itself does have some filler (songs like “The Underdeveloped Story” and “Naïve Orleans”, for example), and the whole thing could blend together after repeated listens. In addition, the epics that were explored on later records like the 2007 track “Fin” aren’t present here, but this is a double-edged sword, as NTFP and BPFTBM showed Anberlin at a simpler time.
Ambiguity had always been the lyrical game for Anberlin, though they were slightly more upfront on
Blueprints For The Black Market and
Never Take Friendship Personal. “Foreign Language” talks of the difference between how boys and girls approach romance and how hard it can be for the sexes to figure eachother out, while “Change The World” is about being lost and forgotten but still able to make a difference. “Ready Fuels” and “Cold War Transmissions” speak of revolution and rage against the machine without going overboard, while “Autobahn” is simply a love song.
In all fairness, this wasn’t Anberlin at their best. They were close to achieving the potential they would on a record like
Cities or
Vital, and had the basic formula down. However, this is still an enjoyable blend of post-grunge, alternative rock, and pop/punk, so don’t be alarmed by the lack of musical progression. Though the blueprint would later be revised,
Blueprints For The Black Market was easily a great starting point for Anberlin.
