Album Review: The Gaslight Anthem "The 59' Sound"

Bruce Springsteen has a Myspace page. I swear. And while I'm sure he doesn't spend his days taking surveys on who his favorite Jonas Brother is (he's too busy touring and not an idiot), he might have a say over who goes in his Top Friends, he might. The Gaslight Anthem, a punk and roll band from the Garden State, sit right at the top and it sure as hell makes sense. On The 59' Sound, the band's newest release for SideOneDummy Records, singer/guitarist Brian Fallon come pretty darn close to straight-up channeling The Boss during his heyday and the band's wistful punk-infused pub-rock only cements the similarity and appeal. The massive buzz on the Internet makes them look like an overnight success, but like many raised in the Jersey scene, they've been slugging it out for real on the road, touring relentlessly, exemplifying the working-class ethics of their songs. On The 59' Sound, we find a band some have referred to as pop-punk, waxing Americana, telling tales of late night drives, heartbreak and loss without coming off as whiny suburb kids and referencing 80's movies. These songs are heartfelt, not sappy, and just ooze feeling and images a cheap mall-punk song could never convey. There's really not much evidence of "punk" in its familiar form on this album, only in tempo and in the way the band have cranked out their own sound with no apologies to the crowd. They've described themselves as soul-punk, mentioning Sam Cooke and Jame Brown alongside Hot Water Music and The Bouncing Souls. They seemed to have travelled back in time and mined the history of rock and roll to tell a tale of their own. Album- and eye-opener "Great Expectations" sets the mood: hip-shaking rhythm, snare cracking, all of it drowning in reverb like old Tom Petty. The title track explodes Replacements-style and finds that sweet spot in between joy and sadness. It's great and the album's only flaw is repeating this song's formula throughout, but the songs shine regardless. The standouts are the deviations, like "Old White Lincoln" with it's Cure-esque bassline and the aptly-titled slow-burner "Even Cowgirls Get The Blues" which even name checks Tom Petty. "The Backseat" surprises when it takes off like dark indie-rock, but settles into a steady anthem complete with a shout near the end straight out of "Glory Days." But it's fitting. And so is The 59' Sound. They've managed to be classic in 2008 and this album could not and should not be repeated. Like The Boss, they'll move on, and I'm excited to hear what's next. Here's hoping they're on his Top 8 long after the Jonas Brothers have disappeared.