7. They Cover Iconic Songs...And Actually Do Them Justice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cujbug6vBnI If you were ever uncertain of Anberlin's influences, look no further than the list of songs they've chosen to cover over the span of their career. From the very beginning, their sound leaned a littler closer to the 80s new wave/alternative stylings of The Cure, which is why a rendition of "Love Song" fit so snugly within the track list of their debut, Blueprints for the Black Market. A fair amount of their discography has tinges of that same sound, so it makes sense that the band (especially lead singer Stephen Christian) would want to pay homage to the acts that influenced them. They've covered Depeche Mode, The Smiths, and New Order flawlessly, keeping just enough of the original's spirit while bringing their own distinctive style to the mix. But perhaps their most successful reimagining came an unexpected tribute to Bob Dylan on their Lost Songs compilation. Tackling a song from a legend like Dylan is no doubt a daunting task. The odds of it superceding the original--hell, even coming
close to it--are not in anyone's favor. But Anberlin not only covered "
Like a Rolling Stone," they also broke the cardinal rule of adapting Dylan's work: They made it a pop song. Rather than trying to emulate Dylan's voice or maintain that loose, wandering folksiness of the original, Christian performed the vocals with typical power and elegance. The guitars were tight and without jangly, the drums were actually prominent, and the whole production was slick, bombastic, pop-rock at its finest. It truly became its own song. And it was just delightful!