Sunday, August 5, 2012

With this pen, I thee wed, from my heart to your distress


Every review of the Gaslight Anthem's newest album, Handwritten, begins with a nod to the band's magnum opus, The '59 SoundYou know the one; it begins with the scratchy sound of a record player before a simple, gritty guitar riff gives way to Brian Fallon's raw vocals singing "Mary, this station is playing every sad song.  I remember like we were alive...."  It's the album that, for better or worse, placed the Gaslight Album in a 'musical box,' labeled on every side with 'Tom Petty' and 'Bruce Springsteen.'  "Hey, Brian Fallon's telling stories that sound like those of Springsteen; stories of characters finding the will to carry on and make the most of the awful hand life has dealt them.  Heck, the Mary of Great Expectations must be the same as Springsteen's Thunder Road Mary."  Gaslight's gritty guitar rifts, song tempos, and growling vocals captured the essence of Springsteen-esque rock 'n' roll for our generation.  The '59 Sound was perfect; a career-defining record for this young band.

To follow up such a record, the Gaslight Anthem released American Slang.  A fantastic album in its own right, the album found the Gaslight Anthem striving to evolve as a band, changing their sound ever so subtly.  Despite it's brevity, American Slang boasted the 'punchy' rock anthem, Boxer, the feisty power ballad, Bring it on, and the slower, U2-esque We Did it When We Were Young.  Ever striving to grow as a musician, lead singer Brian Fallon took a break from Gaslight to record a solo album, Elsie.  Slowing down the tempo and stripping the musical layers to a minimalistic core, Fallon alternately developed his U2-esque croon and early Tom Waits-esque growl as he poured out his heart, singing about the three significant relationships in his life.  The result was magnificent; Elsie boasted the tragic anthem Behold the Hurricane, the slow burner that built to a spiteful growl in Ladykiller, and tearful, bittersweet closer, I Believe Jesus Brought Us Together.

With three incredible albums released in a four year span, the Gaslight Anthem had every excuse to take one of those oh so common 'introspective breaks' from songwriting.  Instead, they released the masterpiece that is Handwritten two short weeks ago.  As one review phrases it, "Handwritten is roller coaster ride you never want to get off, with a seemingly endless string of catchy tunes, hard rock edge, and a familiar grizzled voice fans have come to love."  Sonically, the band returns to its punk-rock roots in the opening lightening-paced "45"Fast guitars and Fallon's gloriously gravelly voice keeps up the rapid pace on Handwritten.  While clinging to Tom Petty and Springsteen overtones, the Gaslight Anthem reach into the realm of classic rock on power ballads Here Comes My Man and Too Much Blood.  The band explores grunge rock in the rapid, anthemic, and wonderfully wordy Mullholldand Drive and Keepsake.  After delving into one of the freshest guitar riffs on Biloxi Parish, Gaslight ends the album with the slow-burning ballads Mae and National Anthem.  The sadness in Fallon's voice, simple acoustic guitar, and orchestral backing of  National Anthem echo Springsteen's finest acoustic songs.

With the exception of Mae, Gaslight Anthem strays lyrically from the character-driven songs of The '59 Sound.  Rather, Fallon draws on the personal themes of Elsie to bleed his heart out to the listening world.  Using the analogy of flipping a record over, "45" encourages the singer to move past love lost and let his love "lay at someone else's feet."  The themes of Handwritten echo the Crowes' I Believe Jesus Brought Us Together, where Fallon yearns to love his girl despite the battle scars each carries.  "Let it out, let me in, take my hand.  There's nothing like another soul that's been cut up the same.  And did you want to drive without a word in between?  I can understand, you need a minute to breathe.  And to sew up the seems, after all of this defeat" eventually gives way to the closing lines "With this pen, I thee wed, from my heart to your distress."  Biloxi Parish puts a positive spin to the dark haunting of the Crowes' Blood Loss, as this haunting comes from a Bring it On-esque type of unparalleled love and acts of affection.  Desire reflects on the different manners by which men try to win the hearts of women, with a chorus reminiscent of Springsteen's I'm on Fire.  In true Gaslight form, the album ends with a tragic reflection on love lost and the ghost of a man that has emerged.  Fallon sings, "I will never forget you, my American love.  And I'll always remember you, wild as they come.  And though if I saw you I'd pretend not to know, the place where you were in my heart is now closed.  I already live with too many ghosts."

Whether you're a seasoned veteran or freshly discovering the glorious sounds of the Gaslight Anthem,  Handwritten must belong in your musical collection.  It is one of the best albums of the year and just may be Gaslight's best.  But that's for you to decide.