The Anniversary was a five-piece band from Lawrence, Kansas, that formed in 1997 and consisted of Josh Berwanger on vocals and guitar, Justin Roelofs also on vocals and guitar, Adrianne Verhoeven on keyboards and vocals, James David on bass, and Christian Jankowski on drums. After a handful of split 7-inch singles, they released this: a 7-inch single titled All Right For Now and featuring just The Anniversary.
The band’s music was a blend of indie rock and emo, and for the latter, they spun it in a unique direction with their use of keyboards and vocal harmonies.
Early Music by The Anniversary
All Right For Now, as a cohesive three-song single, is a fantastic representation of the band’s interesting take on emo. Released in 2000 on Good Guys & Bad Buddies Records, the single features three relatively early tracks from a band still working to develop their sound.
Ultimately, 2000 was the year the band entered the studio and released their debut LP, Designing a Nervous Breakdown. But All Right For Now was recorded the year the band formed — 1997 — and thus presents them in a truly unedited light, stripped of a lot of studio production and mastering that they’d present for their Heroes & Villains / Vagrant Records LP release.
Tracks from All Right For Now
The A-side, “All Right For Now,” is a fast-paced, upbeat track that highlights the band’s ability to blend punk rock energy with heartfelt lyrics. The song’s catchy chorus and driving rhythm section make it an instant favorite that’ll easily get stuck in your head.
The song would show up as “Alright For Now” on the band’s Devil On Our Side: B-Sides & Rarities compilation. You can stream it below:
On the B-side are the songs “Hold Me Tonight” and “Low Tide And Hospital Bed.” The former is a slower track that further highlights the band’s ability to go deep and get vulnerable. Slower doesn’t mean softer; the guitars are big and harmonic vocals make it perfect for a late-night listen.
Lo-fi qualities throughout make it almost seem MORE emo, and I don’t mind!
Case in point, here’s “Hold Me Tonight:”
Sold as a Tour EP in 2000, the album artwork for All Right For Now featured five different variations, all listed as “numbered.” Though Discogs notes that not all came numbered, and those that did were stamped on the label.
All came on black wax.
You can find copies of some of the versions for sale on Discogs.
Here’s my unboxing:
And, if you like The Anniversary, check out the albums below:
