Anxious – Bambi
Run For Cover
Score: 8.5

Anxious - Bambi Album Cover

On Bambi, Anxious step out of the scrappy adolescence of their debut and into a more confident, carefully crafted sound. This isn’t just a pop-punk record—it’s a statement of intent. They’ve sanded down the rough edges, but the heart still beats loud and fast. Each track is sharper, tighter, and, frankly, smarter than what came before.

The band pulls from a wide palette. There’s the yearning of early 2000s emo, the sweetness of power-pop, and the urgency of hardcore roots still lingering beneath the polish. Songs like “Down, Down” and “Sunsign” showcase their growing ear for melody, with layered guitars and vocal harmonies that feel earned rather than forced. It’s bold but not bloated, confident without losing vulnerability.

You hear a band wrestling with who they are—and winning. There’s a touch of drama, yes, but it’s balanced with structure and restraint. “Tell Me Why” dances between sadness and shimmer, while “Sonder” swells with detail and purpose. Anxious still deal in emotional weight, but they deliver it with poise now. This is emo with ambition. And maybe even taste.

Bambi isn’t about reinvention. It’s about refinement. Anxious have grown up, but they haven’t grown cold. They’re still chasing feeling, only now they’ve figured out how to shape it. The result is a record that sticks, not just in your head, but somewhere deeper. If this is what maturity sounds like, more bands should get older.

 

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For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please refer to the official Anxious website.