The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang

After seeing The Gaslight Anthem at Lollapalooza last year, I finally caught up not too long ago with their breakthrough, The '59 Sound. And it's true that I got caught up in it. With the look and every bit as much intention as Social Distortion; their sound was considerably more whispy, even poppy. If they get too big, there will be a backlash and people will start calling them girl punk, but that'll be a misnomer. Yes, Brian Fallon is pretty and his voice emotive and clean. And yes, the songs are hooky. And yes, the songs have a sentimentality about them. But it goes back to the whole Jersey aesthetic- this idea of honoring your home and family, even as you are leaving them.

On the new record, we get more of the same formula. Only this time I feel a little less connected to it. It feels like the characters that are being sung to are the ladies. "The Queen of Lower Chelsea" as one of the titles goes. Nothing as ferociously heart-straining as the full-speed eulogy of the last album's title track.

No real low-points per se, just way fewer high points. Like a new collection of songs that were probably worked on 5 years ago and not completed. But hey, ya gotta keep workin'. One high point brings my favorite track to the front. "Orphans" is another lost-children anthem that we come to this music for. "We were orphans before we were ever the sons of regret." It's a line as worthy of our attention as "Tramps like us, baby we were born to run".



And it's true. These songs were created for us to form a kinship with. And even if the kinship is stronger with your kid sister, you should still invite 'em to the table. At least they're not 30 Seconds To Mars. (3 of 5 stars)