7.01.2010

The Gaslight Anthem


The Gaslight Anthem
American Slang
Side One Dummy, 2010
http://www.gaslightanthem.com/
http://www.sideonedummy.com/

Full disclosure here. The first song, "American Slang", is tolerable. The rest is garbage. Think Springsteen, Petty, Mellencamp and Against Me!, but not as good as any of them or the sum of their parts. The lyrics are self-important and Brian Fallon says "baby" when referring to a woman in almost every song. I hate that. Only R&B singers can pull that off. These guys, if they stick around, will no doubt inherit Springsteen's arenas full of fifty-something-year-old corporate executives who let loose by droppng eight dollars on a small plastic cup of cheap beer and swaying awkwardly to the songs that remind them of their "glory days" as their children watch in horror. Does every rock band from New Jersey (it's called the BEACH) have to sound like Springsteen? This just sounds like a blatant rip off to me. Jesus, I'll take Mike "The Situation" over this..