Cities
Cities Special Edition includes a bonus DVD containing footage of the making of the record, behind the scenes footage, additional unreleased tracks and special artwork.
Track Listing
| Lyrics | 1 - (Debut) | |
| Lyrics | 2 - Godspeed | |
| Lyrics | 3 - Adelaide | |
| Lyrics | 4 - A Whisper And A Clamor | |
| Video | Lyrics | 5 - The Unwinding Cable Car |
| Lyrics | 6 - There Is No Mathematics Yo Love and Loss | |
| Lyrics | 7 - Hello Alone | |
| Lyrics | 8 - Alexithymia | |
| Lyrics | 9 - Reclusion | |
| Lyrics | 10 - Inevitable | |
| Lyrics | 11 - Dismantle. Repair. | |
| Lyrics | 12 - (*Fin) |
Album Reviews
NRT Staff Reviews
2Absolutely EPIC!
I was blown away by Cities from the first to last note. There isn't one place I can find a weak spot. It is just sheer musical brilliance. From the moment "Debut" opens, I got the feel that I was listening to greatness.
Anberlin, without a doubt, knows how to make music. Whether it's blood pumping rock(Godspeed, A Whisper and a Clamor), upbeat pop(Adelaide), or even soft and slow songs(The Unwinding Cable Car, Inevitable), they give it all they have and the result is incredibly enjoyable.
Cities is an album of epic quality. But Anberlin saved the bets for last. They close the album with the epic near nine minute (*Fin). The song is a perfect example of musical brilliance. After many listens, it just seems to get better.
It's rare to see an album that is fantastic from start to finish. Most albums have at least one track that often finds itself being skipped over to get to another song. Not so with Cities, each and every time it is spun, there is nothing I wish to skip over. I simply cannot recommend this album anymore for fans of the genre.
Brilliant Emotionally Charged Rock!
This albums demands to be be experienced over and over. I love the standout songs "The Unwinding Cable Car", "Godspeed", "Dismantle.Repair." and "(*Fin)" but I love the whole album even more. "Cities" takes you on a musical journey and is charged with emotional themes like pain, loneliness and hope and brings listeners to their knees in worship of our amazing God. "Don't Drop Your Arms". Anberlin Rocks!
Community Reviews
41Anberlin
this album is one of my favorites. songs like 'the unwinding cable car' touched my heart with their slower rhythm and inspiring lyrics. i hadn't heard of anberlin before and i came upon them on accident but i ended up loving thier songs. one of my personal favorites is 'fin*'. the words mean so much and made me want to just think and meditate about how i was living my life. 'godspeed' is also one of my favorites. the line 'they lied when they said the good die young' meant a lot to me and made me realize that GOD had plans for His own. i recommend this album.
wow!!
so i heard the songs "a whisper and a clamor" and "the unwinding cable car" and LOVED them, so i decided to pick this cd up. it BLEW ME AWAY!! it's AMAZING!! steven christian's voice is awesome, and the band is extremely talented. anberlin touches on some dark subjects in this release, but it's not depressing as some may think. my personal fave of the whole album is (*Fin), the 8 minute song at the end of the album. The story is rather sad, but the vocals are just amazing!! this record's one that you won't wanna skip! :D
Quality Record
Anberlin produced a very good CD with Cities. It has a diverse mix of sounds and I think that is what I like about this band. They have some good guitar riffs, a good dynamic beat and great vocals. They can rock and be mellow as well. I think they would be a good live band to see.
Great
Anberlin can do almost anything. They can rock out for some head banging or put out some calming, reflective sound. That is why this album is great. because of its diverse sound.
Fantastic !
I think this album is Anberlin's best,so far.The lyrics are poetic and maybe a little cryptic at times,leaving the listener with something to think about.The music seems to compliment Stephen's voice more on this record than on the previous ones. The subject matter ranges from heavy subjects like depression(Hello,Alone) to more sentimental subjects (Inevitable).All in all, this cd is fantastic! My favorite songs are Dismantle.Repair.,Adelaide, and There Is No Mathematics To Love and Loss.
=D
i love this album very very much cuz its a good mixture for kind of a calm day where you sorta need some energy because its not all these songs that kinda make your head burst.
My favorite song is Godspeed, the guitars in that song are amazing.
im a fan of this cd.
Anberlin Does as much dismantling as repairing
The very first track on Cities is “(Debut)”, an instrumental track which showcases sirens built around a cool (as in icy) electric guitar frame. The sirens tells listeners that Anberlin has something to say with a sense of urgency behind it and the calm and controlled electric guitar bit says that Aberlin is also in control. Lead singer Stephen Christian brings his emotional high vocals to mixes in with alternative rock that is just pumping with emergency. That combo is a great, because the most of the rock music is fast paced and Christian’s voice is a tremendous asset in a formula that is similar to Dogwood in some songs. “Godspeed” starts with a frantic electric guitar intro, which is followed up well by aggressive voc...
While Anberlin was one of the many Tooth and Nail’s pick ups, there is nothing ordinary about this alternative rock band. Putting out singles like “(The Symphony Of) Blasé” and "Paperthin Hymn" has helped with getting their name out but touring with some of the top mainstream bands like Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, and Yellowcard certainly could not have hurt either. The recognition is helpful but the their latest album, Cities, stands on it’s own.
The very first track on Cities is “(Debut)”, an instrumental track which showcases sirens built around a cool (as in icy) electric guitar frame. The sirens tells listeners that Anberlin has something to say with a sense of urgency behind it and the calm and controlled electric guitar bit says that Aberlin is also in control. Lead singer Stephen Christian brings his emotional high vocals to mixes in with alternative rock that is just pumping with emergency. That combo is a great, because the most of the rock music is fast paced and Christian’s voice is a tremendous asset in a formula that is similar to Dogwood in some songs. “Godspeed” starts with a frantic electric guitar intro, which is followed up well by aggressive vocals and a very fast paced melodic rock tune. Emotion is bursting from "adelaide", an alternative track which packs a has a good flow. Christian sounds like he can carry a song even without many instruments as shown in the beginning of "Dismantle. Repair." before turning into a solid rock tune.
"The Unwinding Cable Cars" music is centered around a guitar in one of the albums few ballads, and that’s too bad because the soft moments in Cities shine. While parts of "There Is No Mathematics to Love and Loss" are impressive (like the electric start and the techno bridge), the song is repetitive and not as impressive as other tracks. “Hello alone” is classic Anberlin and “a Whisper and A Clamor" is a sparkling alternative rock track that deserves many spins. The ending to this musical accomplishment is aptly named “(*Fin)” a nearly nine minute song which starts softly (never lacking emotion) until the song kicks into gear to become a emotional rock song instead of an emotional ballad. The end does drag on but the chorus of voices in the background helps the overall artistry of the song and album.
Desiring to be more than a simple rock and roll band dealing in temporal things Christian says “When I look back on my life, I want it to have meaning”, he also goes on to say he wants to invest in people’s lives. An admirable effort and his lyrics do offer hope in tracks like "The Unwinding Cable Car” where the singer offers help to a friend (This is the correlation of salvation and love…I'll guard your heart/ with quiet words I'll lead you in"). “Dismantle. Repair.” hopes knows for better times and says ‘Save me from myself’ (it’s unclear if it’s God or a friend he is talking to).
(*Fin)” is a very convicting song about sacrificing wives and children on wasted efforts for Christ (‘We're not questioning God./Just those he chose to carry on His cross.’) but the song is not without faults with the ill meant line ("Wish your drinking would hurry and kill you"). While still majoring on the subject of hope "Hello Alones’" path to get there is murky (‘Depression is the unholy ghost ... I've got the gun/ All I need is 10 cents for the bullet’). "Reclusion" gets a little dark while talking about the battle with inner demons with weird metaphors like killing people and strangling lovers. And the line on “Godspeed” is edgy ‘When needles and lovers collapse on guilty beds’.
Anberlin has gotten much better. Not that they were bad to begin with but the hard line vocals and the cutting edge alternative rock is among the best this writer has heard. But switching from Tooth and Nail to a lager mainstream label and performing with Fall out Boy and My Chemical Romance may have rubbed off on Cities the wrong way. Lyrically murky but musically powerful. What has the greater pull? (that’s a rhetorical question by the way).
amazing!
This album has been out for forever but I cannot stop listening to it! Every song is as refreshing as the one before. I love the entire album as a whole and there is not one song that I believe does not deserve to be in the collection!
Can't wait for New Surrender!
My Favorite so far
Definitly my favorite Anberlin album so far. it rocks lol. i love it. Godspeed, A Whisper and A Clamor, The Unwinding Cable Car, There Is No Mathematics To Love and Loss, Alexithymia, Dismantle. Repair. and (*fin) are my favorites...thats like most of them though...lol
.
I like this cd a lot. My favorite song on it is adelade. I really like the music on the record! Very cool! they are very differnt from other bands. GO ANBERLIN!!!!
Good!!
I like this cd a lot. My favorite songs on it is A Whisper and a Clamor. I really like the music on the record! Very cool! It's hard to understand though at times which is kinda annoying...
Incredible!!!
Anberlin shows what kind of a band they can be with the release of Cities. Cities is a truely amazing album and totally rocks. It boasts passionate vocals, soaring guitars, catchy tunes, and deep lyrics. My favorite songs are "Hello Alone", "Dismantle Repair", "Reclusion", and the third most played Christian rock single of 2007 "A Whisper and A Clamor". Overall, an amazing album from start to finish. I recommend it to anyone.
AWESOME
This album was a great addition to anberlins list of great albums. Godspeed was a great song to start out on, and fin was really great how it went to the children's choir. This band is awesome i totally reccomend this album to other people
Beautiful
Fin is my favorite song. It's mellow and then has a beautiful children’s choir. It's great to see how they can go from guitar rifts to such great mellowness.
love it!
i totally love this band and this album!!!! especially unwinding cable car. and i just love anberlin!!!
ps go anberlin!!!
Cities
Gems of this album...
i think they couldve done better
nce job anberlin im really glad they were able to come out with a third album but i think i liked Never Take Friendship Personal better (see my review on it) there are some nice song like Godspeed and Hello Alone that i enjoy but the others didnt speak to me like all of the others on the other album did i hope they keep it coming though and we'll get to see what else theyve got
Awsome
Great cd. I never even heard of this band until this cd but ive listened to there older music and it is just as good.
ROCK!
Wouw what a rock cd is this cd! I really like it.. and i never heard from anberlin... (sorry.. ) but i bought this cd and i listen to it.. and i was sold! I really like the cd!
Best CD
They are a high quality band and this is some high quality work. I think that this is their best CD to date... amazing drum fills and groves on top of amazing guitar riffs have made them what they are and this only backs that up. Every song worth listening to... good stuff
Cities - Anberlins Shouting Loud
This album was very easy for me to like, it had a few really good mosh songs such as godspeed, and it had slow songs such as inevitable, it could let me listen to it no matter what mood i was in. They had a few tehno openings and riffs in their songs which worked really well with the feel of the song, i took very easily to There is no Mathematics to Love and loss. Anberlin aren't a widely known band but this album would definately attract many music lovers alike. 4 1/2 Stars
Surprised
Prior to listening to Cities, I didn't care much for the lead's vocals. In fact, at times, I thought them to be a bit annoying.
Overall, this album is really pretty good. My favorite three tracks are Cable Car, Mathematics, and Dismantle.
Definitely worth the time to listen to.
Great, but sloppy
its a great album but starts to loose its touch close to the end. if you like heavy rock, but also soft, mellow music this is the album for you.
There's a clamor in your whispering!!
Cities by Anberlin is one of THE BEST albums of 2007! From the pulsating guitar riffs of GODSPEED to the raw truth and sensitivity of DISMANTLE. REPAIR., I was completely captivated. Their lyrics are intense, with an engaging maturity that beckons listeners to delve deeper and read between the lines... but not so ambiguous as to lose impact and meaning. In addition to the previously mentioned tracks, highlights include: THE UNWINDING CABLE CAR, ALEXITHYMIA, and A WHISPER AND A CLAMOR.
Cities, a highlight in Anberlin's career...
Cities is a great, mature rock album which obviously shows the growth in Anberlin's music career. If you are a fan of previous Anberlin albums you will really enjoy their latest cd "Cities" It has everything from great guitar solos to quiet acoustic songs. Every sonh has its own flare to it and always leaves you replaying each song over and over again. Although this album is great it has its quirks. Occasionally, some songs seem to repeat eachother and sound similar to eachother especially noticed in the chorus's. Also, some songs on the album seem to be indepth and the lyrics speak of hopelessness with no mention of hope and leave some people wondering who are seeking hope. Other than that I love this CD.It's a great add to your CD collection! You won't regret it!
Amazing!
Cities is a great album for Anberlin, they definitly changed their style a little bit but still keep it awesome!
Growth
Anberlin has hit a new level with their new album Cities, everything about it is far more mature than in the past albums. Unfortunately Christians voice isn't constant enough to give a solid concert, their concerts are still a great time of worshiping God, They are not afraid to show that they are not perfect. Godspeed, Alexithymia, and Dismantle.Repair, are my three favorite tracks. Dismantle.Repair is a song filled with truth about God and how His truth cuts through our Self and then He rebuilds and repairs us into a better disciple.
Anberlin- Cities
Quite a different from their last albums, with a more emo, intense feel, and less of the catchiness from their old albums. But I still really liked it, with the songs with strings in them, which makes teh songs really intense. Plus, Stephen Christian's voice is so distince and unique, it really helps the band stand out.
Favourite of the year
Anberlin has really impressed me with this album. I think it is the best one they have ever made. Though a few of the old songs are good, this WHOLE cd is amazing. The Unwinding Cable Car is my new favourite song. The cd is a good mix of mellow and hardness. I absolutely love it and recommend it to everyone in the world. Even if you don't like Stephen Christian's voice, listen to the words. I love his voice because it's like none other, which happens to match their style of music. Coincidence? I think not. They have amazing talent and know how to make a forever good cd.
Anberlin: Cities
"The Unwinding Cable Car" is a beautiful song. My favorite of all Anberlin's work.
"Clap your hands.."
Sticky sweet pop melodies, explosive pop-punk chord progressions, "sensitive guy" lyrics. Yep, this should all sound pretty darn familiar if you're a rock fan circa the early 21st century, as there's been an endless stream of bands (for years by this point) that meet all the prerequisites of the aforementioned checklist. And on their 2007 release, Cities, there are certain moments that you can definitely add Anberlin to this list. Thankfully, they don't specialize in that annoying frat-boy-esque shtick that some pop-punk bands do; instead, Anberlin can be quite an ambitious bunch that go the emo route. While songs such as the album opening "Godspeed" sounds like your average pop-punk band of the moment, tracks such as the acoustic guitar-driven "The Unwinding Cable Car" is emo at its most naked (and includes some pretty darn impressive vocal harmonies). But for the most part, the tunes sound like a hopeful trying to win over the judges in the latest episode of Rockstar, especially on such tracks as "Adelaide" and "Hello Alone." Nothing too groundbreaking here, but nothing cringe-worthy, either. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
In my opinion, this guy is crazy! I mean, is he even listening to the same CD??? First of all, ther is nothing "average" about this band, their sound or this CD. To say that the tunes sound like a Rockstar hopeful trying yo win over judges is short-sighted at best. And as for not being "groundbreaking"...let's just see how many bands try to duplicate this sound on their next album.
Creative Rock
Anberlin has developed and grown on every CD they have came out with. This CD is no exception. I like this CD the best out of all their CDs.
The first song on the CD is an intro that is slow. It then leads right into the next track "Godspeed" that hits with a driving rock sound. It sets the tone for the CD and the band shows that they know how to rock.
The last track "(*Fin)" starts off as a slow rock track that later builds into driving rock music. It shows the great vocal talent that Stephen has. The children's choir adds to the strength of the song. It is a long track but is worth listening to every bit of it.
This CD is great creative rock that is worth getting the whole CD not just a couple tracks.
Cities
I love this cd...a very unique type of music/band. My favorite songs would be Godspeed and A Whisper And a Clamor. Both awesome songs!
Cities
i loved this cd from start 2 finish my fav songs were godspeed,unwinding cable car,alexithymia well worth my money u wont b dissapionted
Godspeed, indeed!
Cities a good improvement over Anberlin's last album. It shows that Anberlin has grown as a band--with tighter lyrics and a newer sound. This has my seal of approval. "Godspeed", getting things to a strong start, will probably be the most well-known song on the tracklist, but quieter songs like the acoustic "Unwinding Cable Car" [one of my favorites] and "Inevitable" are not to be overlooked. "A Whisper and Clamor" is another favorite of mine. Lyrically, some of the songs touch on darker subjects, but this album still seems to have a "there's always a silver lining" attitude to it. This album's artistry is better than ever, though an acquired taste for some. "Fin" showcases a very epic feel. Anberlin is continuing to prove that they are not to be underestimated as a band. I would recommend this album to those who are fans of any of their previous works... and new future fans too!
very impressive
this cd is very good. not a song on it is just ok. anberlin is an awesome band. and this cd was a great fallow up for "nevder take friendship personal.
Cities
"Christian's vocals successfully leap higher into the stratosphere than ever before and at times, the band get more intricate and mature than they've ever been."
good
i bought this cd like a month back when it came out and loved ittttttt u should go buy and support this band
Building on Success
Cities' soundscape shares enough in common with Blueprints for the Black Market and Never Take Friendship Personal (Anberlin's previous two releases) that fans and listeners will detect the comfort in the familiar. Stephen Christian's vocals continue to charge between passionate, emotion-drenched intonation and ragged, sonorous cries. Nathan Young's crisp and pulsating drum-work welded to Deon Rexroat's deliberate and solid bass lines provide the underpinnings that drive Cities from (Début) to (*Fin). Joseph Milligan's massive and distortion drenched guitars are incredible, without being overpowering.
Cities has a distinctively different rhythm from their prior, unrelentingly paced projects that justifiably earned Anberlin their emo/screamo tag. Make no mistake though, there is no lack of intensity on this CD. Tracks two though four and six through nine chew up ground at an unrelenting pace. It's when Stephen and Co. become more...
Cities
This is one amazing band. I only own one Anberlin album,and that album is Cities. It is an amazing album with alot of creativity in their lyrics. And they put on a really great live show too. I'd highly suggest getting their new album, Cities. Which is in stores now.
Cities
This is one amazing band. I only own one Anberlin album,and that album is Cities. It is an amazing album with alot of creativity in their lyrics. And they put on a really great live show too. I'd highly suggest getting their new album, Cities. Which is in stores now.
