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There was a moment about thirty seconds into the first track on ANCHORED’s LISTEN TO THIS when I realized something: If it’s not already, “Dirty in Texas” will soon be found blaring through the P.A. speakers in sporting arenas throughout “The Lonestar State.” The album opener is just anthemic enough to find itself being used as such, while it’s also just sleazy enough to be found looping on repeat in smoke-filled bars and strip clubs that reek of baby oil. Due out digitally on May 18th with a physical release to follow, LISTEN TO THIS is a pretty straight-forward set of southern-flavored hard rock. The best tracks are stacked to the front of the record. While the previously mentioned “Dirty in Texas” doesn’t really say a hell of a lot, it’s effective in setting a rockin’ start for the album, and a decent lead-in for “Savior” – a song with more widespread appeal that will likely pop up on rock radio in the near future. By the mid-way point, LISTEN TO THIS starts treading a little too far into “rock ballad” territory for my taste, as I usually stick to the “Hard rock band=one ballad per record” rule. “Women” are a heavily explored topic on this record, but by the time we hit “You” it’s reached the point of overkill.
With 11 tracks clocking in juts under 35 minutes, LISTEN TO THIS ends on a high note with “My World”, but still leaves you feeling a little bit empty – as another example of a band with promise and potential not yet realized. The album feels unfinished, but I’d definitely be curious to hear what they do for a follow-up.
Rating: 3/5 Stars
