Jan 17 2009
The Underrated Records of 2008 (Part I): The Gaslight Anthem - The ‘59 Sound
These days, simplicity doesn’t get enough credit. No one gets any credit for figuring out that things just work well together. However, the members of the Gaslight Anthem just click. And nothing about their 2008 record The ‘59 Sound is particularly complicated. They relish in American stories that run on the guise of retro-cool. After all, Brian Fallon says in “High Lonesom” that he always wished he looked like Elvis.
But the retro effect isn’t the sole reason this group is worthwhile. Everything about them is divinely punk rock as well. They run on a taut pop sound that’s just as rock and as strangely punk. This description makes their sound seem a little overcomplicated. But I reiterate that it is not. I also iterate that a pop sound is not a pejorative term. A song can be catchy, great, and enjoyable without being poppy, but it can be great and sound like it could make sense on a radio. Now will the Gaslight Anthem ever hit pop radio? Probably not. But would they fit? Sure.
I forget the most appealing part of the band, and it’s their take on the style of Bruce Springsteen, which they take pride in saying that they’re influenced by The Boss. Yet these guys are not mere ripoff artists. They actually are as creative at unique American stories as Bruce, while not suffering through some of the interminable cheesiness that comes from some of Springsteen’s weaker material. They embody the feeling of being a young man in the midst of Americana and life’s events, and it’s one of the more fascinating listens merely on the aspect of story. Add to it some nice guitarwork and Fallon’s great vocal work, and you have a punk rock record that suddenly revives the corpse of the genre. And yes, they are pretty anthemic.
