Artist: The Gaslight
Anthem
Album: Handwritten
Label: Mercury
Records
Release Date: July 24th,
2012
Review By: Sean
Kayden
Handwritten
is the fourth studio album from New Jersey rockers The Gaslight Anthem. This
is their first album in over two years, but lead singer Brian Fallon did
release the debut album from The Horrible Crowes last October. However, his
side project seemed to be conceived under the circumstances of boredom and
slight apathy with his current position at the time. Stricken with a sudden resurgence
and a mindset to shake things up again, Fallon and company set out to work on
their next record. Taking notes from previous records and examining the good,
the bad and everything in between, The Gaslight Anthem decided on constructing a
record that was not only acutely personal, but also devotedly universal. Handwritten is the epitome of 21st
century living. It’s a record that touches on the despair, difficulties, and
tribulations of survival, keeping hope alive, and the desertion of your dreams
of tomorrow.
The band has always demonstrated a deep affinity for strong storytelling
and arena type anthems. One of their biggest influences is Bruce Springsteen. Anyone
can easily deem the group from Jersey as the second coming of Springsteen (even
if Springsteen is still kicking around harder than anyone half his age). Bandleader
Brian Fallon is the quintessential poster boy for this country, who has his own
story to tell—a tale as deep as the flowing rivers and vast as the dark streets
of America. Spanning from alternative to heartland rock and folk to punk, the New
Brunswick natives bring traditional, guitar driven rock back to center stage in
a world that has unfortunately forgotten about the glory days of rock n’ roll. The
Gaslight Anthem may be hung up on heroics, blindsided heartbreak, and the
perpetually reflective frame of mind, but they do it ever so majestically and
exceedingly well. Make no mistake, these guys do more than just rock.
Handwritten
kicks off with “45” a finger-snapping, high-energy rock tune with all the
requisites in making it the obvious choice for their first radio single. It’s
the perfect summer rock song inside and out. Keeping the momentum alive with
the subsequent track, “Handwritten,” the tightly arranged track consists of the
obligatory “ohs” and continual buildups found in many motivated anthems. “And we waited for the sirens that never
come/And we only write by the moon/Every word handwritten/And to ease the loss
of youth/And the many, many years I've missed you/Pages plead forgiveness/Every
word handwritten,” may appear to be yet another song of vanished love but
it doesn’t feel rudimentary, only progressively more heartfelt.
The Gaslight Anthem even goes
further in the terrain of romance with “Here Comes My Man” and it’s one for the
ladies to get behind. One of the
final songs is “Mae,” a dark horse for best track off the album, is beautifully
written, sung and arranged. It’s an all-embracing tune that reminds us tonight the
possibilities are boundless, even if times have never been so dark. The
Gaslight Anthem caters to every living soul, but only those that let them in
will discover the many wonders the band has to offer. With Handwritten, the listener will ultimately come across a new
beginning to their old, tiresome routine. After that, it’s up to you to follow
through.
Grade: 9 out of 10
Key Tracks:
“Handwritten”, “Here Comes My Man”, “Desire”, “Mae”, “Teenage Rebellion (Deluxe
Edition Only)”
Published by Mountain Views News on August 11th, 2012
http://mtnviewsnews.com/v06/htm/n32/p12.htm
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