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I'm disappointed after hearing all of the hype and positive reviews. None of the songs except for "Here's Looking at You, Kid" stand out and the songs on most of the album sound alike. It doesn't help that the lead singer has the same tone on each song with a lack of range or emotion in his voice.
The Bands other works are excellant as well, The EP, and the Debut album (Sink or Swim). All these reviewers, are abolutely correct, I can't belive how good these guys are. Buy It. They have yet to record a bad song and yes they will be on a major label and they will be talked about for years, Trust Me. Its like Social Distortion meets Bruce Springsteen and then throw in some blues and soul. Just Sit Back, clear your mind, put on the headphones and let this album take you too bliss.
Best of 2008 in my opinion, and a band who i only hope get all the praise they deserve. As you can see, I quite like this Cd. I have no doubt they will. I haven't been so hooked to a cd, a whole cd, in a looong time.yes, they don't reinvent the wheel. Yet is as rock & roll as it gets and, more importantly, every word they sing has a scent of truth and genuineness: the feelings are sincere, easy to see yourself in them, and the images they are able to draw are simply amazing.
Gaslight Anthem has, justifiably, been criticized for backing up their U-Haul to Bruce Springsteen's house and taking everything that wasn't nailed down. They sing about loss without being bitter, about heartbreak without being angry. Sure, there are flourishes here and there, but they exist to serve the song, like the chains rattling in "The 59 Sound."Another difference is the literary element that exists in the lyrics. In many ways, that's fitting.Dickens' best works combined desperation and hope that left the reader satisfied.
As the Gaslight Anthem grows and continues to develop and discover their own sound ("The Backseat" and "Miles Davis" are solid examples of the band branching out), I predict ever greater things. In the hands of a lesser band, "Here's Looking at You, Kid" would be an angry diatribe against former lovers. Of course, later in the same song they quote directly from Bruce's "I'm On Fire."So, while they aren't wholly original, they do much more than just ape their influences. If the Hold Steady are the saviors of socially-conscious hard-party literate rock, then Gaslight Anthem could very well be the saviors of Blue Collar Americana. It's refreshing to hear a band wear its influences on its sleeve, and still be more than a bland copy. However, while their music does indeed echo the Boss in more ways than one, the Gaslight Anthem is much more than that.First, let's look at the similarities--there's definitely a similar song structure, songs about beautiful losers, and lots of girls named Mary.But here's where things get different--there's no 'big' sound, a la The E Street Band, but rather a muscular hard rock-Americana hybrid that's mostly comprised of the good old bar band staple of two guitars, bass, and drums.
GA makes it a sly, gentle prod at these same people.Also lyrically, the Boss would never have penned a line like "I always kinda sorta wished I looked like Elvis." That's not dissing Springsteen, it's praising GA for their lyrical sense. Highly recommended. Who would have thought that an American rock outfit would drop Dickens references into it's lyrics. Gaslight Anthem does the same thing.
As other reviewers have said, get in your car tonight, roll down the windows, put in this CD, and reset yourself. I just want to help push this album to the full 5 stars it deserves. It's amazing rock-n-roll.
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