Overall Grade: 4.25 (out of 5.0)

TIED FOR MY HIGHEST GRADE EVER, THIS IS THE BEST ALBUM SINCE LAST SUMMER.

I have been anxiously awaiting anberlin's new album for quite some time. I bought the album right away the day it came out, ran into my car, blasted my stereo, and drove home. In the five minutes it took me to drive home, I got to hear the first two tracks, "(Debut)" & "Godspeed", and I instantly fell in love and blasted the stereo higher and just sat on my driveway listening to those first two tracks again. The first 4:28 of anberlin's new album Cities might be the best 4:28 to start out an album ever.

"(Debut)" is an amazing intro track that is 1:26. I'm usually a huge fan of intro tracks, and I had thought I had heard it all. But the way "Debut" mixes into the band's first single – and possibly their best single to date – "Godspeed" is just perfect. Okay, enough about the first 4:28 of the album, you want to hear about the rest of it, right?

There isn't a single song that is even average on this album. Yeah, you read that right. Not only isn't there a single song I wouldn't skip on the album, but there isn't even a single song that I would "just listen through to get to the next track".  It is hard for me to go into individual tracks and single ones out over others because the album is just that amazing. If I had to choose, my favorite tracks would be "(Debut)", "Godspeed", "A Whisper & A Clamor", "The Unwinding Cable Car",  "Dismantle.Repair.", and "(*Fin)".  "(*Fin)" is the amazing final track on the regular edition of the album that is almost 9 minutes long. The band does so much in just this one song, it is almost like you "get a bit of every kind of anberlin song" in this one song.

I said there was a regular version of the album. If you spend a couple more bucks, you'll get the special edition with has three more tracks and a DVD. The bonus tracks on the album include great covers of classic tunes by The Smiths and When In Rome. With the DVD you get a 30-minute "Making of" feature, not to mention numerous of other extra features which include – but aren't limited to – a studio slideshow, outtakes, and a trailer.

Do yourself a favor and go out and buy this album NOW. Spend the extra few bucks and get the special edition too – it is totally worth it. If you somehow don't like this album, tell me. I probably still won't believe you, but I want you to tell me why you don't like the album. I just don't think it is possible.  That is how confident I am you will love this album.