Something Like Sound

Background

Living in 2008 is a little odd. From this point in history we can look back on centuries of progress and identify trends. Enter the Gaslight Anthem, a New Jersey band that has taken the best parts of their home state’s music scene and created something great. Combining the Jersey punk scene and the musical styling of Bruce Springsteen, the Gaslight Anthem created a new subgenre, “Springsteen-punk.” Currently, this group is on tour with Rise Against, Alkaline Trio, and Thrice.

Best Song:

The catchiest tunes on the record are definitely “The ’59 Sound,” “Old White Lincoln,” and “Miles Davis & the Cool.” These songs are reminiscent of better days, good times, classic sounds, cars, and musicians. As far as musical sound is concerned, the Gaslight Anthem has found a mix of upbeat guitars and drums that compliment their reverb-laden vocals. These tracks are probably the best representation of the group’s unique sound.

Song To Skip:

It is hard to pick a low point for this album. The entire record has a certain ebb and flow, with a few slower songs thrown in to the mix. One song that let me down was “Here’s Looking at You, Kid.” Slow and steady guitars start the song and continue throughout the song. Although this is not bad, there were several places where this song could break through into a moving anthem, but instead it maintains a low-key sound until the end.

Final Thoughts:

The Gaslight Anthem is a proud band. Their signature style pervades almost every track on The ’59 Sound, and their reflections on relationships and times gone by evoke a positive response from the listener. However, do not listen if you are more interested in musical diversity: almost every song sounds similar, which is not necessarily bad when the album as a whole is catchy and fresh.