When the band reaches punkish tempos (“45,” “Howl,” “Desire”), the guitars sound restrained and controlled they no longer sprint and dance like they did on The ’59 Sound. On past albums, The Gaslight Anthem played with dirt under its nails, like a garage band. For all of the classic rock inflections pouring out of these songs, Brendan O’Brien’s production works well, providing a sheen that brings out the rasp in Fallon’s voice and the tone of Rosamilia’s guitar. Handwritten has heart, but musically, the band’s lost its edge. Guitarist Alex Rosamilia warrants mention here, as he lashes out with southern rock twang and a short-but-sweet guitar solo. Again, Fallon pens meta-lyrics-a song about writing a song that’s too personal. On “Too Much Blood,” his vocal range resembles Chris Cornell it comes out of nowhere and snatches the ear. He’s come a long way since the raw ferocity of Sink or Swim. When he sings, “Oh sha la la, listen honey, here comes my man,” you hear Fallon as a soul singer, one with control over every nuance in his voice. And they’re fine melodies-some of the finest he’s ever written. On “Here Comes My Man,” Fallon’s melodies intertwine with jangly guitars. This sound rubs off on more than a few songs on Handwritten, undoubtedly the strongest tracks here. With sparser instrumentation, looser arrangements and bluesy rhythm, The Crowes sounded like Gaslight Anthem via early-Tom Waits. ( MORE: Steven Tyler Talks Dogs, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll)įallon started working on this record after finishing up with his side-project, The Horrible Crowes. It’s a rock ‘n’ roll record through and through. “45” sees The Gaslight Anthem returning to the punk rock speed of its early album however, the band only occasionally mines that sound on Handwritten. Handwritten’s opening track “45” uses the act of flipping a record over as a metaphor for perseverance.
Songs about those who listen to music (and those who make it) have been a running theme throughout Fallon’s career. Or at least that’s what I told myself as rationalization for how ridiculously sappy I was being. Very melodramatic in hindsight, but Fallon knew my melancholy he knew my pain. “With this pen, I thee wed/From my heart to your distress,” Fallon sings on title track “Handwritten.” He takes me back to that summer: I’m driving at night listening to The ’59 Sound, projecting myself onto the lyrics while yearning for a girl who moved away after I irrationally fell for her. In a Gaslight Anthem song, we become endearing anti-heroes, damsels, and hopeless lovers. He romanticizes the lives of everyday people by seeing past our banalities. They sang about us-the common folk trudging through life. What is it about Fallon’s songs that connects with people? Well, what was it about Springsteen’s songs that connected with people? Mellencamp’s? Westerberg’s? Following the release of their previous album, American Slang, New Jersey’s The Gaslight Anthem amassed a fanbase so large that label SideOneDummy could no longer accommodate the band, so they made the jump to major label Mercury for Handwritten.
Glamorous, song-worthy tragedies befall these characters, and although my paltry tragedies of the summer of 2010 would have made one boring-ass song, The ’59 Sound hit home for me. Tales of small-town love and lust, Brian Fallon’s lyrics make protagonists out of regular chicks and dudes. It was an emotional time for me, and The Gaslight Anthem provided the soundtrack. I discovered The ’59 Sound in the summer of 2010, the same summer I discovered alcohol, drugs and heartbreak. Follow post is in partnership with Consequence of Sound, an online music publication devoted to the ever growing and always thriving worldwide music scene.
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