The Gaslight Anthem Band • Page 192

I don’t think the decision was about just him. Probably wasn’t an easy one to make but they had to look out for themselves, their families, their friendship and the bands legacy.

Brian just has an umbrella of styles but they all feel like genuine him. Honestly one of best parts of being a fan of his and why I have enjoyed every release.

 

I must have missed that particular Sittin' Around At Home but it wouldn't shock me at all if he actually said that. I went to 2 of the 3 last shows for the 10 year tour in Asbury and I think anyone there that had also seen Brian play his more recent solo shows could notice the difference in demeanor, and yeah it absolutely was (still is) a bummer knowing he wasn't into it. I know I left that final show with the bittersweet feeling of knowing that was more than likely the last time I'd be seeing The Gaslight Anthem play live. Even the speech he gave at the end of the last night to me read more like a "goodbye" than a "see you later."

 

I saw him touring on Sleepwalkers and man, he looked so free and happy. I think he’s very happy with where his career is now where he can put out what he wants, bank on X amount of people loving it and not really worry about getting bigger or being the next Bruce or whatever.

 

It bums me out that he didn't really enjoy that 10-year tour, because man, I can count on one hand the times I've had more fun at a show than that.

 

Yep I went to 3 of those shows and oh man, they were fucking incredible.

I also just knew they were most likely the end and it felt that way.

 

If they did it for the fans than good on him for trying. I will say when I saw them on that tour he seemed tense on stage in terms of banter. Still sounded great as a band.

 

I guested on the Records Revisited podcast to talk about The '59 Sound...and Alex Rosamilia showed up to share some behind-the-scenes details. Check it out wherever you get your podcasts! Here are some links:

Spotify: Episode 213: Episode 214: An Appreciation of Gaslight Anthem’s “The ’59 Sound”
Apple: ‎Records Revisited: Episode 214: An Appreciation of Gaslight Anthem’s “The ’59 Sound” on Apple Podcasts
Podomatic: Episode 214: An Appreciation of Gaslight Anthem’s “The ’59 Sound” | Free Podcasts | Podomatic"

 

Still the best band ever

 

By the way, for anyone else who loves TGA/BF as much as I do, check out Dave Hause if you haven't already. He is the closest thing out there to BF in terms of songcraft in my opinion. I'm sure most here already know him but anyone who doesn't.........get on it. His new album is great too.

 

The new Dave Hause album is great!

 

I’m getting strong Brian Fallon/Horrible Crowes vibes from the new Dooms Children album!
It’s Wade MacNeil from Alexisonfire & Gallows

 

Listening to Sleepwalkers for the first time. I love Brian Fallon. His voice is so distinct and powerful and conveys so much emotion.

That said, it seems he's limited as a songwriter. All of his solo material sounds exactly like The Gaslight Anthem which sounds exactly like The Horrible Crowes. All the chord structures and melody lines are the same.

Which isn't bad either, because hey, more Gaslight Anthem.

 

DIS

A

GREE

 

Hard no on all of that.

 

Elsie really sounds very little like Gaslight, outside of like, two songs.

 

i kinda agree with some of that, re: song structures and the chords he relies on a ton, but that doesn't mean the distinct projects sound the same at all. what gaslight album does local honey sound like lol

 

Yeah, he's guilty of falling back on similar chord progressions, but most songwriters are. The projects definitely have distinct sounds, Sleepwalkers especially. The arrangements on that record are really cool and one of the reasons it's maybe my favorite album of his and definitely the one I listen to most now.

 

He’s limited to being an awesome songwriter. There are worse problems to have.

 

My biggest problem with Brian Fallon is that there’s not enough of Brian Fallon

 

Brian’s sound/styles belong in a vein diagram. Every song and album is very him in the centre. But, there are different rings with different similarities for different music styles he does. You really could separate his whole discography by song and have different songs fall in other rings.

 

Reminds me of Chuck from Hot Water Music a bit

 

Ok "limited" is the wrong word, he's an excellent songwriter. I just think he more or less sticks to the same structures over and over again. That is a neutral observation, not positive or negative.

Most of the songs sound a lot like Gaslight to me, just with different decoration, if that makes sense. As in, the underlying song is almost the same, it just uses a piano instead of a pounding guitar riff. For example if you listen to a Gaslight Anthem album, then listen to Elsie, I feel like you can essentially predict how every chorus is going to resolve.

Same as above, I feel like the underlying songs are essentially the same, just with different decorations. Speed it up and give it guitars and they would fit right in with the rest of the Gaslight discography. I'm saying all of this just from a musical perspective, not lyrical.

 

Idk, I think saying “speed it up, add guitars, tweak the production, etc.” is kind of a cop out. How many pop songs or rock songs would sound like Gaslight songs if played by the band, at the typical Gaslight tempo, with the typical arrangements/tempo/production? Probably…most? So much of what makes Elsie unique is that it’s a totally different vocal, lyrical, and production approach to, say, American Slang. The chord progressions and song structures? Sure, similarities are definitely there. But I generally think people underestimate how much of the “sound” of a song goes beyond the simple nuts and bolts of the writing.

 

Agreed the vocal techniques, lyrics and production are different. I'm thinking purely in terms of song structure and melodies. i.e. you have one person with just an acoustic guitar sing/play all the Gaslight Anthem songs, then have them play all the Horrible Crowes/Brian Fallon songs, they will on average sound identical.

Again, purely observational. '59 Sound and American Slang are two of my top played albums of all time. I just thought it was interesting he never strays far from the same core structures/melodies.