When I last caught up with Slade Echeverria (lead vocalist/bassist) of Anarbor, I could tell that the music he was about to release with his band felt fully-realized and matched his bandmates’ ultimate vision for where they could take their sound. Love & Drugs is a great collection of eleven songs that work well off of each other, and move the needle forward in the band’s storied discography that so many fans adore. This album hits somewhere between the pop polished rock of Walk the Moon, paired with the intricate focus on production like Bad Suns, while still maintaining the heart of the music that sounds like Anarbor.
The album starts off with the chill-sounding song of “Slow Distraction” that gradually invites the listener to be pulled into Echeverria’s vocal croon, while guitarist Danny Stravers keeps the riffs incredibly interesting. The layered vocals in the chorus make for a cool production element, and sound like a million bucks. “Letter In A Suitcase” brings the tempo up significantly in its delivery and allows for the band to shout above their instruments in the chorus before slowly exiting the aggressive tones as each hook unfolds. Lead single, “Drugs” reminded a bit of the quirky, synth-based pop of Smallpools, with equally-pleasing results. On the second verse, Echeverria explains, “A week away, I know my head should be straight / You got me strung out, I’m strung out / I need a fix / So would you pick up the phone, no one’s home / Is this the comedown, the comedown / That I heard about?” The way he describes the feeling of falling in and out of love is captivating, and really pulls the listener into the mix.
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