on 2009-06-08 SolitaryMan Said:

I had to check this album out, what with all the talk about it going on here. So impressed. I'm somewhat of a closet Springsteen fan, always thought his voice was something to bear witness to and I hear what can only be described as his musical spirit drifting through this album. Every song remains stuck in your head, the songwriting is far and beyond 95% of indie bands out there today. I get the feeling their past releases were at least somewhat different, but are they at least worth checking out?
Rating: 9/10

on 2009-06-08 AndyFromJersey Said:

No man, I know, and I'm glad you did; I just put it in there because it made my comment seem more complete and comprehensive. I didn't want anyone to be able to say "Hey, he said all this stuff, and didn't even put his own work out there for us to compare..."

I'm more directing that last post at anyone who may have missed where the band was coming from and, in doing so, confused their ethos with that of more "slick" indie rock bands that have always made a wash of heavy, danceable sound their M.O., as opposed to the "let's take this somewhere else and see what happens" approach of TGA.
Rating: 9/10

on 2009-06-07 hstisgod Said:

If you read my review, I linked your EP review...
Rating: 9/10

on 2009-06-06 AndyFromJersey Said:

I feel the need to interject here.

The Gaslight Anthem, despite possessing a rather unusual sound, are very much not an indie band. The '59 Sound as an album is the result of a culmination of changing tastes and maturity; the band's roots are founded in a particular brand of pop punk that was heavily influenced by Lifetime and Paint it Black. Anything that makes them sound different nowadays lies entirely in the -sorry for this phrase- ol' time rock and roll influence they've picked up over the last couple of years.

While I understand comparisons to bands like The National [who I idolize] and The Killers [for whom I have a passing respect], I think you'll find upon listening to this as much as their diehard fans have that the only similarities between TGA and the aforementioned bands lie in the way the album is mixed and produced. The lyrical and musical stylings really aren't particularly related, and like I pointed out before, even have totally different sources and influences.

While it's clear that nobody here hates TGA, I worry -yes, worry, sorry guys, this is what happens when I love a band- that they may be wrongly written off. I think a necessary component of getting the spirit of the thing is to view the Gaslight Anthem as a punk band who've had their hearts turned to gold by The Boss, rather than seeing them as a trendy addition to the likes of The National or The Killers [incidentally, I don't see any similarities between those two either, but that's another story]. I think this is better explained by my review of the EP that came out right before The '59 Sound. Those four songs illustrate a nice middle ground between the punk band they were and the...er...whaddayacallit, rock band they are today, as well as letting the casual listener hear that crucial turning point where they finally made the jump. If you're interested, here ya go: http://www.musicemissions.com/artists/albums/index.php?album_id=8945
Rating: 9/10

Review:

on 2009-06-06 dadair Said:

A review of the '59 Sound single:
New Brunswicks best, The Gaslight Anthem are going to continue to cause people to flit between Bruce Springsteen and Ryan Adams comparisons. This sauntering self-titled single from their 2nd album, bears out Brian Fallons downtrodden, yet hearty vocal lag that bounces off the grinding guitars and chugging percussion combo.

This single will put the seal on a slightly surprising, but well put together 2nd album. Can they continue this upward trend in their fortunes after debut album Sink Or Swim, just about managed to keep them afloat in the ever turbulent world of commercial rock?

Not Rated

on 2009-03-17 kev_stev Said:

They remind me a lot of The Ataris, Against Me!, and bands like that. A little more rough than The Ataris, a little more polished than Against Me!.
Rating: 8/10

on 2009-03-16 dscanland Said:

Kev, what are some of those other bands you are talking about with a similar sound? Recommend em to me. I love Gaslight Anthem and would be happy to discover a couple more like them.
Rating: 8/10

on 2009-03-16 hstisgod Said:

my apologies, i agree, there are a lot of bands n artists who have a simplistic n catchy approach. thats why sites like these are so important that we shed light or at least search for any and all artists who may be capable of making music free of gimmick
Rating: 9/10

on 2009-03-16 kev_stev Said:

I think you might've misinterpreted what I was saying. I wasn't talking about their name, I was just saying that I feel like a lot of band's are doing exactly what The Gaslight Anthem are doing, yet TGA is getting more praise/acclaim than all of them combined. I enjoy the tunes from these guys, but feel like they're either overrated or they were randomly "selected" to be the new indie band everyone must love. Ya know?
Rating: 8/10

on 2009-03-16 hstisgod Said:

Ouch Kev, truth is, hell yeah their name is catchy. Yes, as well, im guilty of using a bands unique and flowey name as an excuse to write a good review. but not in this case, the name certainly helped my open mindedness, but i haven't been guilty of this heinous crime in years. Nice perceptivity, but there's no need for such a tension when its just plain feel good music without the guilt.
Rating: 9/10

on 2009-03-15 kev_stev Said:

I really, really like these guys. It's a merger of bands like Bruce Springsteen, The National, The Killers, and something like Against Me!. The tunes are great, but sometimes I feel like someone just picked their name out of a hat and said, "Ok, we're gonna make this band popular by writing a dazzling review, even though lots of other bands are doing the same thing as they are right now." I'm ambivalent on that subject, but I think the music's too fun to care right now.
Rating: 8/10

Review:

on 2009-03-15 rev flying v Said:

When you think of New Jersey, the first thing that might come to mind is Bruce Springsteen, and if youre from New Jersey, you grew up with him. That brings us to The Gaslight Anthem, a group of musicians fronted by Brian Fallon who make it a dead give away that they are Jersey natives with a penchant for The Boss.

If you listen to The Gaslight Anthem youll notice that these guys play honest punk-rock. Fallon tells tales of growing up and moving on while his band of neer-do-wells pound out fist-pumping hooks a la Social Distortion, replacing Mike Nesss Cash influence with that of the aforementioned New Jersey icon.

Despite their throwback style, what is particularly surprising is that they still sound fresh, even timeless. Perhaps this is why The Gaslight Anthem found a home at two labels, dropped two critically acclaimed albums, and jammed across two continents with the likes of Against Me! and The Bouncing Souls in the three years since their inception.

Rating: 9/10

on 2009-02-23 dscanland Said:

This album is amazing. I almost missed out on Gaslight Anthem despite Andy giving me a heads up on their EP. If you like the Against Me sound, you know. The rootsier side of punk then definitely check out The '59 Sound. Great album. I'll be watching these guys from now on.
Rating: 8/10