Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 14!
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 14!

JFH Music Review


Anchor & Braille, The Quiet Life
CLICK COVER TO ENLARGE

Anchor & Braille
The Quiet Life



Artist Info: Discography
Album length: 10 tracks: 41 minutes, 53 seconds
Street Date: July 31, 2012


Side projects such as FM Static, The Almost, The Brothers Martin, The Drawing Room, Neon Horse, and many more in between have all had their day in Tooth & Nail Records' proverbial sun with varying degrees of longevity. But the one thing they all share is having ties to other successful artists on T&N's docket. No doubt one of the most popular and practiced bands in T&N's history, Anberlin amicably parted ways with the label in late 2007, but with an impressive tenure comes lasting future providence. Anberlin's vocalist Stephen Christian began the project Anchor & Braille years ago, but for his second album, T&N gladly took him on their roster, but The Quiet Life proves its worth well beyond its marketability.

The central theme of The Quiet Life is living vibrantly in the moment. Unlike the bleak, sometimes bittersweet, musings of 2009's Felt, this go-round feels far more hopeful and optimistic without opting for unrealistic naivety. Even when it's not in sight, joy is the destination. Look no further for a sanguine outlook yearning for something more with lines such as "Life is beautiful, open your eyes…/it's not somewhere out there, it's there by your side/it's here and today, it's there in your smile" ("Knew Then Know Now") and "Is it just me or is life passing us by?/We breathe and we eat then we sleep then we drink and we die/If not now then, if not now when?" ("If Not Now When"). But even outside more positive themes, the musical landscape this time is more upbeat and makes better use of interesting percussion techniques (akin to Felt's "Like Steps in a Dance"); the lead single "Goes Without Saying" is ushered in with an electronic timed drum beat, and other tracks such as "In With the New" and "Kodachrome" follow this level of buoyant composition, and it adds more layers to A&B's alternative-painted texture. But just in case listeners get concerned with low supply of ballads on The Quiet Life, A&B sticks "Hymn For Her," "Everybody Here Wants You," and "Before I Start Dreaming" at the album's end, and they prove to be a trio worth savoring.

The mere extra drums featured around The Quiet Life could be deceptive, but the Anchor & Braille that listeners know from Felt hasn't completely vanished, but has only evolved. Christian takes every opportunity to showcase his falsetto abilities when they shine best, and the trademark stripped-down approach in its many dimensions hasn't gone anywhere. If anything, the production value has improved, but at the same time, the approach is still attractively rough around the edges; it's a refined, but not too refined, effort of almost purely acoustic instrumentation. Another improvement comes with the more purposeful setlist construction. While Felt was surprisingly strong for an album of songs written over a long period of time, The Quiet Life features a better organized tracklisting with songs all written with the end product in mind, and the album is only greater for it.

Based solely on Anchor & Braille's track record, Tooth & Nail's signing of Stephen Christian's project makes absolute sense; the fanbase is there and ready, and A&B's sound fits in with the roster with uniqueness only to its benefit. While Felt was undoubtedly a labor of love spanning several years with plenty of gems along its course, Christian has pieced together his strongest and most cohesive solo work yet with The Quiet Life, an ode to a purposeful existence and an accomplished musical philosophy to match. With Anberlin's next full-length record still to come later this year, Anchor & Braille's The Quiet Life serves in the meantime as one of finest singer-songwriter efforts this year, one in which Tooth & Nail should take pride and joy.

- Review date: 7/30/12, written by Roger Gelwicks of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 14!

 

. Record Label: Tooth & Nail Records
. Album length: 10 tracks: 41 minutes, 53 seconds
. Street Date: July 31, 2012
. Buy It: iTunes
. Buy It: Amazon Music (MP3)
. Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. Goes Without Saying (4:20)
  2. Knew Then Know Now (4:11)
  3. Find Me (4:04)
  4. In With the New (3:19)
  5. If Not Now, When (3:28)
  6. Kodachrome (3:13)
  7. Collapse (4:46)
  8. Hymn for Her (5:05)
  9. Everybody Here Wants You (5:15)
  10. Before I Start Dreaming (4:12)

 

Leave a Comment

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 

 

                 
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 14!

Search JFH



This Friday, September 5, 2025
ALBUMS
A Life Aligned The Light That Failed To Cease (independent)
Philip Anthony A League of My Own (ALOMO) - EP (independent)
Josh Baldwin Full Grown Man, Vol. 1 - EP [Bethel]
bodie NO SKIPS [Provident]
Colony House 77 (Pt. 1) [Roon]
Coqui LIVING 2 DIE - EP [DREAM]
The Gray Havens This Is Not the End (independent)
Forrest Frank CHILD OF GOD II (BACK TO BACK) DELUXE [River House]

SINGLES
Bill B. GOD KNOW ft. TrigNO - Single [Syntax]
Mark Bishop I'm Gonna Do What I Said I'd Do - Single [Sonlite]
Brave Days Friendly Fire - Single (independent)
CalledOut Music Adore You - Single [Integrity]
Michael Carder Where Do I Go From Here - Single (independent)
Charis Music Pressing Through (feat. Hailey Trevino) - Single [NWN]
Darius Mullin & Dre Murray Cash & Burn - Single [Syntax]
Kristene DiMarco Song for My Children - Single [Bethel]
Amanda Janson Sinner to Saint - Single [Pure Mosaic]
JSP It's Not Your Fault - Single (independent)
Tae Lamar Vengeance II (feat. MotionPlus, Propaganda, and m1L) - Single [Polished Arrow]
Patrick Mayberry Everlasting Arms - Single [Provident]
No Vain Glory FLEX - Single [Syntax]
Jemimah Paine Reason - Single [Integrated Music Rights]
R.kitect Tha Deep End - Single [Syntax]
Razzie & theprodigaljoe Man Make Plans - Single [Syntax]
Saints in Exile My Mind is a Prison - Single [Syntax]
Carly Ann Taylor Why Should I Worry (Remind Me Version) - Single [Curb]
Jaci Velasquez, Evan Egerer ¡DALE! Praise - Single [Rixon]
NEEDTOBREATHE Momma Loves Me (feat. The Red Clay Strays) - Single [Omnivore]
Madison Watkins You Won't - Single [Provident]
Wisenheart Well-Worn Door - Single (independent)
Zahriya Zachary Shine n Me (feat. Edward Rivera) - Single [Bethel]

Next Friday, September 12, 2025
ALBUMS
Jervis Campbell Good Grief! (independent)
Demon Hunter There Was A Light Here [Weapons MFG]
Roxanne Grace Try Again [DREAM]
Ellie Holcomb Far Country [Capitol CMG]
Sower Contemporary Christian Machine - EP (independent)
twenty one pilots Breach [Fueled By Ramen]
Phil Wickham Song of the Saints [Fair Trade]

SINGLES
BASECAMP Under the Blood (feat. Knaladeus) - Single [Polished Arrow Music]
Dan Bremnes Find Yourself - Single [Curb]
Matt Hammitt Days God Gave - Single (independent)
Amy Jay Margins - Single (independent)
The Undertaking! Forever Remember - Single (independent)


For all release dates, click here!
 

Join honey and save on online purchases!
Need proofreading and editing help? We've got you covered! Click here to learn more
Check out depositphotos for royalty free images