"in desolation" by Off With Their Heads- its good. I mean it, it is a solid album. They have definitely stepped up and matured as musicians. The songs are legit. Good lyrics, great driving sound. It is a great addition to any collection. My only complaint is that there sounds like there is some kind of tweak or chorus or something on the vocals. It flattens out the roughness of what Off With Their Heads sounded like on previous albums. It does not kill it, it is not really distracting, but it is somewhat detracting from the overall sound to me.
"Broken Strings" by Let Me Run- For a band that was "discovered" by Brian Fallon of The Gaslight Anthem, even a new singer cannot change that American sound. This new ep, available at paper and plastick, is just awesome. It is a rockin' short little album that fits that same jangly guitar sound that I love
"White Crosses" by Against Me!- This album rocks. Straight up. George Rebelo from Hot Water Music on drums adds a much stronger, driving sound behind the songs. They have slowed down the pace a little, but there is still that Against Me! urgency. I have been playing the hell out of this album, and even people that don't typically like things by Against Me! have enjoyed this. The songs are certainly more relate-able. They have been catching a ton of shit for "selling out" or whatever it is kinds call it today. But honestly, this sounds like a band that is growing up and growing in to what they are as people. These songs talk more about home and family life, paying attention to what surrounds us and how it makes us feel. It makes us look back at what we were when we were in our formative years, what we thought we were going to do and be doing for the rest of our lives and how those opinions change as we grow older. Think about what you wanted to do when you were 14 or 15 and how that has changed. How you dressed, what you listened to, where you hung out. Most of us have adjusted, refined, matured those tastes as we have gotten older. That is exactly what this album is. They way Tom Gabel says "my name tattooed into your skin" on "because of the shame" is one of the most amazing sounding lyrical deliveries of any album I have heard. There is so much goodness in this album. Totally recommend that you pick up the limited edition copy. There are a few songs that have been released earlier on the spring EP, but "bob dylan dream" and "leigh acres" are truly worth it. Even the song "we're breaking up" almost makes you feel like Tom and his wife Heather have called it quits. We all know that feeling. We have all been there. This song talks to all of us.
My only real complaint on this album is the beach boy-esque "chi chaaaaaaa" that is on "Ache with me." That really just sounds forced and kills a really great thing. But it ends pretty quick. Just cheeeeeeese.
"American Slang" by The Gaslight Anthem- It is no secret that I love The Gaslight Anthem. They are one of the best live bands ever and overall one of the best bands playing music. At first listen, I was somewhat disappointed in this album. I felt like they were TRYING to do too much. Let's be honest, "The '59 Sound" was just about the most perfect album recorded. By any band. Sure, the vocals had that echo-y chorus sound, but it fit the sound of the album. It really was pretty much a perfect album.
When I first listened to "American Slang," I did not get that instant chill sensation that I had with "The '59 Sound." It just did not hit that hard from the start. But, on the second listen, it leaked into my head. I was starting to sing along. I was starting to hum it when I was not listening to it. This was not a band that was TRYING too hard. This album was recorded by a band that was having fun with it. They were having fun with taking their time and experimenting a little. They are not re-inventing the wheel here. What they are doing it taking what they love to do, which you can feel, and adding to it what they love to listen to. This is almost self pleasuring music. This is about 4 guys having fun and really doing what they love for the sake of that love. I have never seen Brian Fallon sing a song without a smile creeping onto his face during it. They all move around and are comfortable with what they are doing. This is what they want to do.
With any new album, bands go on publicity tours. The Gaslight Anthem played Jimmy Fallon, which you can see in a different post, and they smiled the whole time. I have been finding recordings, live versions, covers, all kinds of stuff from these guys all over as a result of the new album. This to me is what gets me excited. All of the secondary stuff that you can find if you take the time. Much like the Bruce Springsteen/Brian Fallon duet video in an earlier post.
If you take the first 3 albums The Gaslight Anthem have released, you can hear bits and pieces from them all on "American Slang." It is to me what a band that has spent their time playing their songs, having fun with them, and doing their best to bring it to the masses. The more I listen, the more I love it. I know I will continue to listen to it, like I have with the others, for a very long time.
There are few things in the world that feel important. Regardless of whether they are or not. To me, music can feel that way to me. Like if I miss out on it, I will truly be missing out. That is how I would feel about any of these albums. Music to me is important as a whole. But, there are albums that just drive us to want to do more. They inspire others to do things. They do not always inspire music. They inspire us to create, to work harder, to get up in the morning, to be a better person. This is true for all art. For me though, music is the top of the heap.
I am going to go listen to something and fall asleep.
