The Gaslight Anthem Band • Page 184

“Meet Me By The River’s Edge” is such a perfect fucking song.

 

I wish Brian was still doing both Gaslight and his solo stuff. I know that’s greedy, but I love his music.

 

Best Gaslight show I ever saw was in fall of 2009. Support was Frank Turner, Loved Ones and Murder by Death in a 500 capacity venue. Played all of 59 sound and 7–8 songs from Sink or Swim.

 

I saw them on that tour, too, and it was fantastic. But my favorite was probably in 2008. They were the opener for Rise Against, Thrice and Alkaline Trio, and they decided to play an impromptu headline show on an off night in a very small bar. So magical.

 

A perfect kind of day for The '59 Sound.

 

Oh boy

 

^Came to post.

Also, it's still crazy to me that I got to see these guys in 2008 in a dive in Virginia Beach right after The '59 Sound came out. This was a hell of a show:

The Gaslight Anthem Setlist at The Jewish Mother, Virginia Beach

 

That livestream is an interesting prospect, for sure.

 

It'll be a fascinating watch. Super curious to hear him talk about it, and excited to hear those songs again

 

Very intriguing.

 

Even better now

 

I became a big fan of TGA after the release of Handwritten so I was insanely amped during the rollout of Get Hurt. I've always felt bad for Brian that he took the negative reactions to the album so hard. From what I understand, this was written during a time when he going through some difficult personal issues so I really can't imagine how hard that was to handle.

I'm always curious to see what the progression of Gaslight would have been had Get Hurt been a more well received album. On the one hand, I actually do really like the album as a whole and it has some top notch Gaslight songs. On the other hand, there's definitely an element of a band grasping at straws at times to reinvent their sound and arguably "go bigger" when I don't think it suits them.

As a big fan of Brian's body of work, I will say again that as a person I really feel for him having to deal with the reaction to Get Hurt, but Painkillers is my absolute favorite release from him so I do think those trials and tribulations were worth it. Painkillers always felt like this big triumph over hardship that felt incredibly authentic and I don't think we would have gotten that without Get Hurt.

 

I think they still would have stopped afterwards even if Get Hurt had been well received. Even with Handwritten they, and most specifically Brian, were worried about just not having anything left to say from TGA and then they put out two more albums so I imagine it was just time.

 

I'll likely check this out but I'm real bored of Brian's acoustic streams. I love Get Hurt but have a feeling it'll just be slow/boring versions of those songs.

 

Except most of Sleepwalkers could have been a Gaslight Anthem follow up to American Slang. Brian just writes great songs. There isn’t a project or album that is weak or lacking in any area. It’d be fair to say personal and professional pressure could end a project because everyone’s exhausted. They gave us great records and Brian continues to give us great records. If Gaslight did another record or even a song, it’d be great. If the guys don’t want to collective go there it’s understandable too.

 

Have you heard Local Honey? Lol sorry I had to. Big fan of Brian's work and all of the guys new bands but Local Honey was a disappointment.

 

Big time

 

Local Honey is good but definitely my least favorite BF album

Get Hurt is great and always has been, it would make me happy if he can finally realize that.

 

Local Honey is too short. That said for me:

Great: Hard Feelings, 21 Days, I Don’t Mind, Lonely For You Only, Horses

Good: You Have Stolen My Heart

Ok: When You’re Ready (really close to good) Vincent.

I listened to this record last night before this conversation started. It just needed to be longer. Sleepwalkers is my favourite Brian official solo, but Local Honey has so cool songs.

 

Get hurt is great. My only comment is that a few tracks feel a little disjointed in transition or placement. Halloween really could have been on there too because it fit the exact description of what Brian said the album would be.

I don’t think casual fans were ready for a darker toned (lyrically) record that number of albums into their run. It made sense though when you know about the personal stuff and fatigue/pressure.

 

They set the bar insanely sky-high with the previous albums. Get Hurt can be their 5th best album and still be incredible. Both things can be true.....

I would have sequenced it a little different and traded out a few songs for B-Sides, but those are minor quibbles. I am super happy to have that album and really really love most of it. It's just not quite as consistently great as the previous albums.

 

Local Honey has some of his best songwriting. It’s a different type of record from him, but I go back to it pretty regularly.

 

local honey is probably my favorite of the solo LPs tbh

 

I appreciate Brian trying different sounds, but Local Honey is the first album he made that I just found boring. Hoping he maybe releases something next year that’s a little more upbeat.