To Be Or Nothing At All by ANSON (Self-Released EP)

To Be Or Nothing At All by ANSON (Self-Released EP)

A few years ago, solo artist Anson Li found himself with a pair of noteworthy EP’s entitled Go My Way and This Is Love, traveling across the country and making a name for himself. As stardom is often an elusive commodity which bypasses even the most gifted and focused of individuals, Li would find himself taking some time off to reevaluate both his personal and professional goals. This short break for Anson Li has resulted in a newfound passion for his art.

Joining up on this journey would be bassist George Tello and guitarist Zack Mueller. And ANSON the band would be created, a truly collaborative effort in every sense of the word – and this collective has unveiled their self-released debut EP entitled To Be Or Nothing At All. Just as poignant and introspective as the title would suggest, ANSON has presented sweepingly reflective lyrics combined with infectious melodies that will jangle on in your head for ages.

To Be Or Nothing At All opens with the intensive beats of It’s Alarming, possessing a good deal of passion and conviction right at its stunning commencement. The title cut To Be Or Nothing At All is gloriously introspective, with spiraling melodies that send this standout track straight into the heart and soul of the matter. Sober Living is vibrant and striking with its “you were never a friend” sentiments slamming through with a stunning sense of resolve. And then closing out To Be Or Nothing At All is Hailey, an all-out anthem about being madly in love within the throes of a decidedly toxic relationship.

Anson Li conveys each lyric with a stunning amount of urgency, and the results are absolutely inspiring. Fans of Taking Back Sunday and Pierce The Veil will be thoroughly captivated by the four entreaties found within To Be Or Nothing At All. Tech credits are all first rate, with To Be or Nothing At All being produced by Andrew D’Angelo (Set It Off, Volumes), mixed by Dan Korneff (Paramore, Pierce The Veil) and Nick Morzov (Ghost Town, Set It Off), and mastered by Ted Jensen (Muse, Green Day).

ANSON is a band on the verge of breaking out in an epic way – and with To Be Or Nothing At All ready to be unveiled upon the world at large, expect to hear a lot more from this exciting new collective in the months ahead! Emo indie rock is making a comeback, and the time is very right to discover the exhilarating sounds of ANSON.

(Review by Ken Morton)

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