Brian Fallon - Sleepwalkers (February 9, 2018) Album • Page 33

This interview is fun. The interviewer namedrops AbsolutePunk at one point.

Brian Fallon on 'The ‘59 Sound' and his new album 'Sleepwalkers'

 

Haha we’re just different kind of Dawes fans, I guess. The ones I like best always seem to be the ones that translate bests live... I’ve seen them play about 6 times (mostly because I worked at our local public radio station, which champions the hell out of them) and those are the ones that get me jazzed up and go off the most.

Idk it’s a good song but it just wasn’t hitting me yesterday (or today). Love the sentiment and obviously it’s important to the album, but it isn’t a favorite. As my dad would say when I was a lot younger, sometimes I’m just contrary

 

37 year old Brian Fallon, 7 records across three projects into a successful music career, sitting down with music teachers, surrounded my little kids, to learn piano, is my favorite thing that's happened in a long time. There are just so many cool things about that.

I feel like that one anecdote explains a lot of why we all love this guy.

 

I like the MATZ version of Long Drives just marginally better than Painkillers. The 2 things about the Painkillers version that hold it back for me is the fact that it's a little slower than the MATZ version, and the "I could never get her to believe..." delivery is a little off-putting. But the addition of pedal-steel guitar and subtle banjo in the pre-chorus is ace, as well as the country harmonies courtesy of Cat Popper and Butch Walker. Speaking of Cat Popper, can we talk about how great her basslines are all over Painkillers? I love her playing.

 

That delivery always reminded me of a homage to Bob Dylan. I dunno that it was his goal but it sounds like him and always reminds me of him.

Also, Cat Popper is great. Wish she woulda stuck around as part of the touring members but I'm sure she's got a good $$ amount attached to her skills.

 

The interviewer also posted this on Twitter, which has settled a ten year debate in my head.

 

Album is fantastic with the exception of proof of life. Big step up from Painkillers.

 

Can't see twitter at work, can you share what it says please?

 

Handwritten at number 8 is blashphemy.

 

Haha I know I know. That album just lacks something for me which pains me to say because "Mae" is one of my favorite songs ever. I'm a big lyrics guy and I just didn't find them to be up to Brian's usual standards -- especially after American Slang and Elsie were so poetic and nuanced.

 

Swap American slang and handwritten and we are in tune. I'm putting sleepwalkers just ahead of painkillers too.

 

I shouldn't call you out as I'm certain to be the only Gaslight/Fallon fan that doesn't get much more than about 3 songs out of Elsie.

 

Everything I said here I now disregard. Amazing album and I love it more with each listen.

 

I feel like all Brian releases are growers. I feel like the only record of his I immediately loved was The '59 Sound and I think part of that could be that it was my first exposure to his music.

Having said that, even that has grown on me. It's gone from a great record to an all-time favorite record

 

I hated his voice the first time I heard American slang lol

 

The reverb on the vocals of 59 Sound turned me off for a long time

 

Same. It took me a long time to get into that album, but I'm definitely glad I stuck with it!

 

Interviewer: Do you remember what it is that you're saying in the very beginning of the studio version of "Old White Lincoln" after the car turns over?

BF: [Laughs] Yes, I remember what I said. First of all, it was Joe Sirois' car, the drummer of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. He drove his car specifically over to the studio just so we could record it starting. There’s an old rock n' roll [song], it’s called “Your Mama Don’t Dance.” The cop pulls over the guy and “out of the car, longhair!” That is what is yelled in the bullet mic in the studio that is designed for a harmonica. I just yelled it at Joe to be funny about the old song. There was no intention of those words staying on the record and then I got back the mixes and there it was.

 

I love about 1/2 to 2/3 of Elsie, but there are a few songs on there, the less melodic ones, that do very little for me. The good stuff on that album is top tier though.

 

Proof of Life is pretty cemented as my least favorite on the album right now, I like it musically, it's not bad, I enjoy the mandolin, but the chorus and the "proof of life" lyric itself is very clunky to me.

Maybe it'll grow on me, I remember HATING the Keepsake chorus at first for similar reasons, the way the words were drawn out seemed "forced"....... and now it's one of my favorite Gaslight songs.

Whenever I'm in the Tracks 5-6 part of the album I find myself in a hurry to get to track 7. Really think 7-12 are the GOLD part of the album.

 

The only songs I don't like off Elsie are "Sugar" and "Mary Ann". The former drags on a little too long and the latter just overall never did anything for me. The rest of the album is gold though, and "Blood Loss" is top 3 for me in his repertoire.

Edit: I'll give "Sugar" credit for perfectly setting up the mood of the album sonically, but it would help if it were a minute shorter.

 

I love Mary Ann. The ones I don't like, and I would honestly name these my 3 least favorite Fallon songs on any release - Cherry Blossoms, I Believe Jesus, and the Joey cover. UGGGGH. Those 3 bore me to tears. Sugar and Blood Loss are okay, not great.......the rest I think is fantastic.

 

The second half of the album is money.

 

I always felt the same way about Get Hurt - my least favorite songs were in the front half (Stay Vicious, Stray Paper)........once I got to Helter Skeleton and especially Underneath the Ground, the rest of the thing always picked up for me.

 

After thinking we were perfectly in tune, you bring up helter skeleton....which may be my least favorite gaslight song of all time lol.