"Madness" by Anchor & Braille, Saturday, February 5, 2022 + Lovers' Quarrel Playlist

In 2020, Stephen Christian released his fourth Anchor & Braille album, Tension. When he released his third A&B project, Songs for the Late Night Drive Home in 2016, many of his fans were still mourning the disbandment of Anberlin. But starting in 2018, Anberlin had started to play one-off shows and even started touring the next year. In 2020, the band was supposed to announce a tour with Memphis May Fire and perform at several festivals. But in lieu of the pandemic, the band started a livestream concert series. While Anberlin was active, Christian released Tension, an album of the most straight-forward pop songs Christian has released to date. 

TRY TO EXPLAIN YOURSELF TO A STONE WALL. Last year, I wrote about 13 love songs leading up to Valentine's Day. This year, I'm not sticking to that format, but as Valentine's Day approaches, I thought I'd make a few playlists compiling the love songs I've written about. 


1. "Madness" by Anchor & Braille. The song of the day.
2. "Breathing Underwater" by Mike Mains & the Branches talks about a spouse's struggle and love when dealing with a mental health crisis. 
3. "You're All I Have" by Snow Patrol is a song about appreciating the person you love.
4."Should You Return" by Copeland could be seen as a break up song, but it also works as an apology. 

5. "Beth/Rest" by Bon Iver. The lyrics to this song are a bit nonsensical, but the atmosphere of it sounds like music for making up.
6. "Don't Give Up on Us" by Nick Jonas. The opening track to his latest record Spaceman, an album of love songs to his bride Priyanka Chopra, is a spacey R&B track pleading with his love not to give up on him. 
7.  "Let's See It" by We Are Scientists is a song about convincing a partner that the speaker is truly in love with her.
8. "All I Have" by Until June is a song about trying to do your best but still coming up short. 
10. "Put Me Back Together" by Ivory Circle ft. Aaron Marsh. With only 450 monthly listeners, this band is severely underrated. Lead vocalist Connie Hong is a powerhouse vocalist. This sad song speaks to when a person reaches out to a partner for healing.

11. "Untitled" by Paper Route is a song about preparing for the inevitable storms in life by investing in love. 
12. "Take Me" (As You Found Me) by Anberlin. Stephen Christian said in the livestream As You Found Me that this song was inspired by an elderly divorced couple who lived next to each other. She came over to his house every day "to drain [his] blood because he was on dialysis.
13. "Photograph" by Ed Sheeran is a bit of a devastating song about the hardships of love. Ultimately, Sheeran broke up with Nina Nesbitt, the musician he was dating long distance. But in "Photograph" he is trying to make it work.

14. "Hang on Love" by The Wedding
15. "This Love" by Maroon 5 comes from Maroon 5's first album. Although "Jane got on a plane/ Never to return again," Adam Levine says that he "won't say goodbye anymore." 
16. "Make Me No King" by Bones Owens
17. "Great Divide" by Lovedrug is a song about building a bridge between two distant parties. It gives hope to any relationship.
18. "Part of It" by Relient K
19. "Without You" by Tyler Ward ft. Alyson Stoner is a sweet song about how success is meaningless if you have nobody to share it with.
20. "Sprite" by COIN
21. "Sleep Better" by Pete Yorn

Wishing you all the best in relationship health!

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