And your tattooed knuckles oh, how they grind down

*There are those bands that should have never been created. Then there are those artists that everyone should forget quickly. But there is luckily another side to the proverbial music coin. Just barely crossing the chasm of noise, there are those bands that are good, but never great. But journey with me down the halls of music to something beyond mere subjective opinion. I dare you to enter to halls of musicians, who, whether you like, love, dislike, or loathe them, have gained a widespread reputation that lasts for years. I mean, musicians that, for better or worse, have made a lasting mark on history. Such artists include Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan, U2, the Rolling Stones, and, disregarding many more, Bruce Springsteen.

Of course the band I wish to present to you may not make such a lasting mark on history. Time will only tell how far down the magical musical road of greatness this band travels in the minds of the general populace. Objectivity aside for a moment, I contest that the Gaslight Anthem is an absolutely tremendous band. Of the musicians to influence this New Jersey four piece, Bruce Springsteen stands out. Their rock 'n roll carries many Bruce overtones and it is quite evident in their lyrics. The Backseat of The '59 Sound is an obvious nod to Bruce's Backstreets. The lyrics and title to Meet Me by the River's Edge off the same album includes nods to (at least) No Surrender, Bobby Jean, and The River. If that wasn't enough, Bruce has played with The Gaslight Anthem in their songs and they have played with him in his.

But so far all I have done is to encourage Bruce fans to listen to The Gaslight Anthem. For all you others, however, I must state that The Gaslight Anthem is what it means to be rock 'n roll. Driving in the car with the windows down this summer, what you need is great, not just good, rock music. And the Gaslight Anthem delivers. The '59 Sound is where I recommend you start as the album is utterly perfect. While songs such as Great Expectations, The '59 Sound, and Casanova are straight up rock 'n roll songs with incredible lyrics, Film Noir changes the pace a little bit, allowing the listener to vent with this angry song. Slower tunes such as Here's Looking at You Kid and Meet Me by the River's Edge grant the ears a pleasant break and create a superb balance to the album.

The Gaslight Anthem just came out with their newest album, American Slang, this past Tuesday and, if you've been seeing my facebook comments and tweets, you will know that I think it's a pretty freakin' big deal. The most I can do is implore you to get both of these albums and give 'em a listen yourself, but let me make a few comments regarding AS. While the opening track (American Slang) lulls you into a sense that this album will be very similar in style to The '59 Sound, the second track (Stay Lucky) immediately changes your mind as Brian Fallon and the boys pull out a few new tricks. The new tricks continue throughout the album and it sounds drastically different from The '59 Sound. Highlights include the down-and-out songs Bring it On and Boxer as well as the interesting choruses and guitar quips that make The Diamond Church Street Choir come to life.

*All-in-all, I think American Slang is the best album to have come out this year and will be hard to top.