You've Gotta Hear This: Anarbor
UPDATE (10/8/2016 7:30 PM): Replaced broken song links
Okay, here’s something that the entire world needs to acknowledge: Anarbor is literally one of the most underrated band in their “scene” (for lack of a better word). Honestly, I don’t think that I even give them enough credit for their talent sometimes, but the fact of the matter is I’ve been listening to Anarbor for about 4 or 5 years now and I always turn to their songs when I’m in need of a solid jam. I’ll put on their EP, Free Your Mind, as I’m walking around my house and, from start to finish, I’ll have a playful smirk on my face as I sing along to the cool drawl that is lead singer Slade Echeverria’s voice and wiggle my hips to the pounding beat and subtle bass line of the opening track, “Let the Games Begin.”
If you only listen to one Anarbor song in your life, make sure it’s “The Brightest Green” off their Free Your Mind EP. I could be a little biased because that was the first Anarbor song I heard, but it’s arguably one of their most popular tracks. More than that though, I think it really sums up Anarbor’s overall sound. First off, it showcases the impressive vocal ability and range of Slade Echeverria, swooping to low notes in the verses and then climbing impressively high at the beginning of the chorus. Vocally, he also does a lot of interesting things with the way he lets the notes he hits just blend together, giving the song that lofty and alluring quality. The lyrics of this song really amp up that allure too. Right from the start, Echeverria suggestively croons “Baby, don’t you know nothing good happens after midnight?” and that voice of his makes you believe it 1000%. “The Brightest Green” is all about passion and desire and lust. Despite the definite sexual undertones of the lyrics however, it’s not a raunchy song. The lyrics are clever enough that they allude to sex without going into overt detail. Where the sex appeal really comes in is through Echeverria’s voice and that slinky guitar riff that drives through the verses which makes you feel the passion the lyrics reference. A lot of songs are about sex nowadays, but not every song about sex is sexy. Anarbor succeeded in writing a sexy song by recognizing that the key to it is subtlety.
Overall, Anarbor is a truly solid rock band that delivers honest and clever lyrics drenched in pure sex appeal. Echeverria’s smooth vocals have a lot to do with the sexual tone in Anarbor’s sound, but even the instrumentation of their songs has this playfully lazy edge that is so enticing and it just matches Echeverria’s silky voice so well it almost hurts. Anarbor has this down-to-earth “sex, drugs, and rock and roll” feel to them that is so alluring that I imagine that Echeverria and the rest of band members as being that group of guys in your town that fathers warn their daughters to stay away from. Overall, the guys in Anarbor have a perpetual garage band mentality and they seem to totally embrace and own it. I’ve seen them live about 3 times and it’s always a really cool show to catch because they’re always so solid in their performance. The execution of their set list always just seems second nature to them, which makes sense for a band that’s been around for 10 years now. They are certainly not strangers to the stage and so all that experience along with their overall laid back vibe makes an Anarbor show feel like an intimate jam session in someone’s basement, regardless of the actual size of the venue. Their relaxed and modest presence is incredibly refreshing to see among the countless bands and artists out these days who are so intent on acting larger than life. Anarbor is simply a group of 5 friends proud to be making real music and having a good time doing it. And really, what more do you need?
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