The Gaslight AnthemAmerican Slang
SideOneDummy Records, released June 15, 2010
On their third full length, New Jersey's Gaslight Anthem have managed to distill the sound they started several years ago. On this record, they took everything that they were going for on Sink or Swim and '59 Sound, the jangling guitars, gruff vocals, lyrical references to small town life, and put together what may be a more composed album, but one that has lost its sense of urgency and replaced it with over confidence. Gaslight have always said that they don't want to be pigeon holed as an Americana punk band, and they successfully move away from the elements of punk on their previous albums. This time around, their songs pay musical homage not only to Bruce and Tom Petty, but also Paul Simon and Van Morrison (and maybe even a little U2?). Best examples, "the Diamond Church Street Choir" and "the Queen of Lower Chelsea," the bridge of which sounds like their take of Simon and Garfunkel's "the Boxer." (Not to be confused with "Boxer," track seven on American Slang.) Guitarist Alex Rosamilia really steps it up a notch on this record, more experimental and more balanced with Ben Horowitz's drums, which are not so thunderous this time around. But there are still tunes that are classic Gaslight: the title track, "Orphans" and "Old Haunts." Anyone who enjoyed the first few releases from this band is sure to find a connection to the new album.
To their detriment, vocalist/lyricist Brian Fallon has taken his "old soul" personality a little bit too far. The record is laden with references to "when we were young" and "the days of our youth." Fallon is about 30 years old (maybe not even). I know, both from personal experience and from watching my friends, that it is common at that age to really reflect on your experiences and feel like life is quickly catching up with you. It is also true that Gaslight have gotten famous by singing songs that are intentionally throwbacks, but there is a distinct difference between embracing a retro sound and actually sounding old, especially when you are not.
However, Gaslight has never had a problem with slightly repetitive lyrics (how many songs on the first two full lengths and the e.p. talk about Maria and/or Virginia?) and, in fact, that consistency has actually worked to their advantage so far, establishing a specific "sound" for the Anthem despite their relatively short existence. American Slang is certainly the right balance of building upon their reputation and moving it in a new direction. They neither deviate too far from what is expected nor do they simply rehash what they have already accomplished. It will be interesting to see what is in store for these Jersey boys. Zoltan predicts an official Brian Fallon solo, acoustic record, and a more high profile guest appearance on the band's next album.
4 comments:
Hi, my name is Nick. I am an observer at the animal hospital where Laura works. I've gotten to know her kind of well recently, and she has been recommending some great music to me. Today, she told me about your blog and your diverse taste in music. It sounded pretty interesting, so I thought I'd check it out.
I actually just recently started listening to this group (Laura recommended them to me), and this was the first album I picked up. I really enjoyed it (more so the second time listening to it), and after reading your review I can see the direct correlation between this album and Paul Simon's folky/pop sound. There was even a sort of Otis Redding or Motown feel in specific parts of the album.
I went on to listen to their first two albums, which enabled me to see the distinct differences between this album and the first two. The first two are almost soul/punk, while this new album reveals the group’s more classic rock influences. It's interesting to see a band with only three albums shift sounds like that, and in a positive way.
Great review and I look forward to reading more of them in the future.
Hey there Nick. Yeah, obviously my tastes are more in the direction of the first two albums (the punk/soul combo), but Gaslight is really on to something and will probably see their efforts rewarded in the near future. I could see them being the next Green Day.
If you are into this kind of sound, you may want to check out the Loved Ones, a Philly band that does a similar kind of thing. Gaslight and Loved Ones tour together quite a bit and are very much kindered spirits.
Look forward to hearing from you soon. Tell your friends about the site; we love feedback.
Love your account name. Keep it gully! Mikey
Just a heads up, Gaslight are playing a show at Penns Landing in not too long. There is a link to tickets under the "Get Squeamish" events listing. They put on a really good show, and Penn's Landing is always fun, though hot, in the summertime.
I'll definitely look into that then, there are some great concerts coming to Philly. I was looking into Public Enemy, and this time last year I saw B.B. King. But yeah, I'll definitely check it out.
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