Phoenix rock band Anarbor brings a pop sensibility to the table with music in its debut album.
“The Words You Don’t Swallow” demonstrates the band’s similarity in style to the All-American Rejects, which has its ups and downs.
On the positive side of things, the group is equally as catchy without seeming nearly as petty. The album doesn’t exactly break any new ground in terms of themes, as vocalist Slade Echeverria bemoans conformity and bad ex-girlfriends, but it doesn’t pound the message into the listener’s head.
“Drugstore Diet” displays great single potential. The group combines its power-pop riffs with a call-and-response vocal delivery that is sure to reel in new fans when the band goes on Warped Tour this summer. “Gypsy Woman” stands out for its break from the aforementioned formula. The lyrics pay homage to the folklore-themed songwriting of Creedence Clearwater Revival, and the solo resembles any number of classic rock offerings.
The album has a few tracks which cross the line into irksome teenybopper fare, such as ruined relationship ditty “Let The Games Begin” and bland “Mr. Big Shot.”
For a band just out of high school, having a few tracks resemble the All-American Rejects isn’t too much to complain about.
