Annabel
Each and Everyone
Count Your Lucky Stars Records
9/10

I had an ex tell me once that she had never met anyone from Ohio that she disliked. This was maybe 2002, and since then I have been hard pressed to find anyone that would make me disagree with her. Every person I have met from Ohio has been wonderful. So it’s no surprise to me that I can not stop listening to Kent, Ohio’s Annabel. With layers of luscious guitar sounds coupled perfectly with cymbal-heavy drumming, Annabel comes out with all the grandeur of The Arcade Fire but without the pretentiousness. Annabel goes back to musicianship and songwriting in a world of auto-tuning and gimmicks. It’s the earnestness that must have helped earn brothers Andy (drums, vox) and Ben (vox, guitars, keys) Hendricks and amigo Scotty Moses (bass) a spot on PBR-sponsored Gainesville punk-Mecca The Fest. Bonus, a goddamned book with *gasp!* LYRICS! I can’t get one of these on a hardcore album where I can’t understand half of what the fuck they are saying, so imagine my surprise when I found one for an album that is full of singing rather than screaming.

–Jonathan Yost