Unwed Sailor’s The Faithful Anchor Turns 20

The album’s emotional post-rock immediately takes me back to a simpler era.
The Faithful Anchor

Earlier this year, Unwed Sailor released Truth or Consequences, their seventh full-length album (and third in as many years). But later this year, Johnathon Ford will celebrate the 20th anniversary of Unwed Sailor’s first album, The Faithful Anchor.

Originally released in 2001 by the short-lived Lovesick Recordings label, The Faithful Anchor built on top of the band’s 1998 Firecracker EP, delivering nine songs of straightforward, emotional instrumental post-rock. As I wrote in my July 2001 review, “it’s uncanny how Unwed Sailor is able to convey emotion through a simple melody, a brush of a cymbal, a rolling bassline.”

On a personal note, my friends and I eagerly awaited The Faithful Anchor’s release back in the early ’00s. Unwed Sailor was always a must-see band at the annual Cornerstone Festival, and we’d usually see them several times, whether on a main stage or some impromptu generator stage. Listening to The Faithful Anchor now, and especially a song like “Our Nights,” immediately takes me back to that era.

For The Faithful Anchor’s 20th anniversary, Unwed Sailor has partnered with Spartan Records (which released Truth or Consequence) to remaster the album. In addition to a digital release, the album will be available in several limited vinyl editions, including a really cool-looking blue/yellow/black swirl version. All versions will also include two out-of-print bonus tracks from “The Magic Hedge” 7″ single, which was originally released in 2002 by the Swiss label Tricycle-Evolutif.

The 20th anniversary edition of Unwed Sailor’s The Faithful Anchor will be released on November 19 — click here to preorder.

In related news, Unwed Sailor is currently on a tour throughout the southern US — click here for dates and venues.

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