I’m Famous Now For All These Rock’n’Roll Songs

A lot could be picked apart from American Slang; it could be cheapened and analyzed to death. The fact that Brian’s vocals on the title track sound like Goo Goo Dolls. Admitting that comparing Gaslight Anthem to Goo Goo Dolls doesn’t give them enough credit…And yet the second I heard the line, “tell me about the cool,” I was whisked back to last summer, when I had first experienced songs about the cool. When I first wanted to be told. Everything else fell away. Every possible criticism. This was Gaslight Anthem. This was summer guitar riffs, nostalgic stories of girls, and imagery of grubby city streets.

The Diamond Church Street Choir sounds like you, me, Brian Fallon and his sick sidekick Alex Rosamilia wandered into some uptown DMB recording session. The Spirit of Jazz is quick and inspired and, “that’s how they do it up on the screen.” Makes us think we all could have been glamorous movie stars in the ’50s. We Did it When We Were Young sums up the empty spaces of this album, fills the void of time between The ’59 Sound and American Slang. Thirty four minutes of an album, and this was all the explanation we needed why. All the answers were given if we just listened.

“I’ve been crazy for so long without you,”

“My teenage heart pumped all my misery, baby,”

“We were orphans before we were ever the sons of those songs.”

These words attach more than feelings, but existence to music! This is something only us true, dramatic, lonesome Anthem fans can understand.

 American Slang is the follow-up to one of 2008’s strongest albums. And, well, it’s never easy being a follow-up. This was great work but a third-born, and shamelessly compared to its predecessors.

If there was one, and only one, statement to be made about Gaslight Anthem, it would be that they are a band who writes songs that sound like instant classics. Furthermore, they are real; raw; talented music lovers. Music lovers who create music to be loved in a focused cycle of attention and nurture.

Music lovers like me, Jeffrey Everett, RS’ Christian Hoard, every working man, and even Miles himself. A cycle of music lovers spanning generations and igniting liberation. For all I care, this album; this moment, is Woodstock.

Mimi