“We know that every single kid out there is tired of the same old dance-pop record that gets released every single week. Our goal is to be the music scene’s saving grace,” says guitarist Mike Kitlas. “It will tell our listeners that we are here to stay and we are not a fad band that will fade out as soon as dance-pop is outdated.”
Free Your Mind extends beyond the cut-and-paste albums being churned out, instead infusing dynamic guitars behind the soul-shaking howls and relatable melodies from frontman Slade Echeverria. Crafted in Los Angeles by producer Mike Green (Paramore, Good Charlotte) over a four-week span in Los Angeles, Free Your Mind's formation came from a desire to break out from the "fad band" chokehold and delve into what was real.
The EP's lyrical themes of drama-addled love are age-appropriate for this band still fresh from cap and gown status, yet show emerging maturity and growth while navigating the waters of life on the road and in the press, as well as their loss of anonymity. Not one track doesn’t contain a purpose or reason ripped from the band’s own personal headlines, and the EP title wasn’t without a conscious peek into their agenda, either.
“We want to challenge kids to think outside of the norm, and really find themselves, rather then just following what the crowd is doing,” Kitlas said. “We want to show our listeners that they are not alone, we all go through our struggles and everyone has their ups and downs in life.”
The seven-track EP, kicks off with a mischievous call to a wayward paramour on “Let The Games Begin,” before sliding into the instant hip-shaking grooves of “The Brightest Green,” a slice of Maroon 5-ish soul that takes on a life of its own. Anarbor takes a familiar formula but adds a warmth and genuineness to every guitar lick and lyric that keeps them relatable yet unique. Each track seamlessly follows the next, spinning clever lyrics and brisk guitars, and each adds another deft chapter to this memorable volume.
“The distinctive sound we are reaching for is rock and roll. We don't use any instruments in our songs that we don’t play live, we are going for a very raw and real sound for this record,” Kitlas said. When noted that shared influences range from Third Eye Blind to Red Hot Chili Peppers, it’s even more apparent where the EP’s driving and fully-executed rock-based energy gained its roots.
The easy nature and chemistry of the band from Phoenix, Arizona, formed in 2003 is more than just a cosmic luck for an emerging band. Because this, in years of formation, is by no means a freshman band. Echeverria and Kitlas became friends in grade school, and continued to grow up experiencing many life-changing events together, securing a bond that eventually extended to music, and a decision to make it their ultimate ambition. The band signed to Hopeless Records before they even received their high school diplomas.
More than just a sum of its parts, the writing process for Anarbor is a group united, with each member adding input in acoustic jam sessions that allows everyone to collaborate and contribute creatively. It’s a cohesion that allowed each member’s personal preferences and talents shine when it came to recording.
Sharing the stage with everyone from Fall Out Boy to the Gin Blossoms, as well as a coveted spot on this year’s Take Action! Tour, Anarbor is gaining steady recognition as the diverse band to watch among a sea of faux rock ‘n rollers. This motivated and utterly gifted band will resonate with any listener who knows a thing or two about learning who you are and putting your ambitions into motion.
“We want people to walk away feeling comforted and confident in themselves,” Kitlas said. “Music is a universal language that everyone can relate to. We talk about our real life stories, feelings and situations. You can expect real music and real lyrics, no filler.”
Can't Help It
Anarbor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it's hard for me to say, but I found another
And you're probably thinking this would last forever
If I could take back time and change my mind
It would end up differently
She's so bad for me, and I can't help it
It's so hard to see a way around it
Said she's gonna call, and nothing at all
'Cause she's so bad for me, and I can't help it
I can't help it
I can't help it
And I know it didn't take much time for me to move on
Endless fights and restless nights, but the days felt so long
And I might've thought that we could last forever
But I'm just fine and took my time, and things fit perfectly
She's so bad for me, and I can't help it
It's so hard to see a way around it
Said she's gonna call, and nothing at all
Inch by inch, I got my back to the wall
'Cause she's so bad for me, and I can't help it
I can't help it
I can't help it
Guess you probably never saw this coming
It's too late, I'm sorry, darling
I'm moving on to better things
You're a distant memory now, yeah
She's so bad for me, and I can't help it
It's so hard to see a way around it
She's so bad for me, and I can't help it
It's so hard to see a way around it
Said she's gonna call, and nothing at all
Inch by inch, I got my back to the wall
'Cause she's so bad for me, and I can't help it
I can't help it
I can't help it
The song “Can’t Help It” by Anarbor is about a guy who was once in a committed relationship but has found himself falling for another woman. The lyrics express the difficulty he has in accepting that he has moved on from his previous relationship because he still cares for his ex-girlfriend. He acknowledges that his new relationship is not healthy and that the woman "is so bad for me", but he feels like he cannot control his feelings. He wishes he could turn back time and prevent himself from making the mistake of falling for the new woman.
The chorus repeats the line "She's so bad for me, and I can't help it" several times, which emphasizes his internal struggle to choose between his past and present relationships. The bridge culminates with the singer declaring that he's moving on from his past relationship, acknowledging that it's too late for them but is ready to embrace new love.
Overall, the song addresses the complexities and messiness of love and the difficulty one may face when trying to let go of the past and embrace new experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
I never wanted it to be this way, I thought I loved her
I didn't expect to fall out of love and find someone new.
And it's hard for me to say, but I found another
It was difficult to admit that I had found someone else.
And you're probably thinking this would last forever
You may have thought that my previous relationship would have worked out long term.
If I could take back time and change my mind
If I had the chance to go back, I would make a different choice.
It would end up differently
Things would have turned out differently if I knew then what I know now.
She's so bad for me, and I can't help it
Even though I'm aware of it, I'm still drawn to her.
It's so hard to see a way around it
It's difficult to find a solution to this problem.
Said she's gonna call, and nothing at all
She promised to call, but never did.
Inch by inch, I got my back to the wall
I feel trapped and unable to escape the situation.
I can't help it
No matter how hard I try, my feelings won't change.
And I know it didn't take much time for me to move on
I may have moved on quickly, but it was necessary for my own good.
Endless fights and restless nights, but the days felt so long
The previous relationship was filled with arguments and sleepless nights, making the days feel even longer.
And I might've thought that we could last forever
I may have once thought that the previous relationship could have lasted a lifetime.
But I'm just fine and took my time, and things fit perfectly
Now that I've moved on, everything seems to be lining up perfectly for me.
Guess you probably never saw this coming
You likely didn't expect our relationship to end this way.
It's too late, I'm sorry, darling
It's too late to go back and fix things, and I'm sorry for any hurt caused.
I'm moving on to better things
I'm ready to let go of the past and start fresh with new opportunities.
You're a distant memory now, yeah
The memories of our past relationship are starting to fade.
She's so bad for me, and I can't help it
I know she's not good for me, but I can't seem to stop being drawn to her.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Adam Philip Juwig, Gregory Robert Garrity, Justin Reece, Matthew Luis Keller, Rudolph Slade Echeverria
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jakubner8824
I never wanted it to be this way
I thought I loved her
And it's hard for me to say
But I found another
And you're probably thinking this would last forever
If I could take back time and change my mind
It would end up differently
She's so bad for me
And I can't help it
It's so hard to see
A way around it
Said she's gonna call
I heard nothing at all
Inch by inch
I got my back to the wall
Cause she's so bad for me
And I can't help it
I can't help it
I can't help it
And I know it didn't take much time
For me to move on
Endless fights and restless nights
But the days felt so long
And I might've thought that we could last forever
But I'm just fine and took my time
And things fit perfectly
She's so bad for me
And I can't help it
It's so hard to see
A way around it
Said she's gonna call
I heard nothing at all
Inch by inch
I got my back to the wall
Cause she's so bad for me
And I can't help it
I can't help it
I can't help it
Guess you probably never saw this coming
It's too late I'm sorry darling
I'm moving on to better things
You're a distant memory now, yeah
She's so bad for me
And I can't help it
It's so hard to see
A way around it
She's so bad for me
And I can't help it
It's so hard to see
A way around it
Said she's gonna call
I heard nothing at all
Inch by inch
I got my back to the wall
Cause she's so bad for me
And I can't help it
I can't help it
I can't help it
@goodnightmoon
so underrated
@nospaceforsadness816
still
@HalloweeN245
SPOTIFY for the win! Just discovered them in spotify 😊
@corinagarcia2203
Sameeee💕
@Maitreyee
YAASS!!!!
@KathlynCaluya
Sameeee
@sexilostpeople1174
Me tooooo
@lucienrivera
Same
@averyclements1415
this band is amazing. how are they not more well known??
@mac7110
Avery Clements I just found about them and truly is