It appears to be business as usual for The Gaslight Anthem with their fourth studio album ‘Handwritten’. Their punk laden debut ‘Sink or Swim’ quickly gave way to a more commercial effort in the hugely successful '59 Sound,' while their third effort ‘American Slang’ disappointed many fans with poorer production detracting from what was undoubtedly a collection of excellent songs. The transition from ‘Sink or Swim’ to ‘American Slang’ and a side project with the Horrible Crowes has developed the overall sound into a much more complete and balanced package.
Critics will fall into the old trap of saying the band sound exactly the same as their previous two albums but there is a maturity and a professionalism about ‘Handwritten’ that has replaced the rawness of earlier records. Fallon’s writing topics are those of a man grown and no longer those of an embittered teenager fuelled by rage and a sense of injustice. The focus is less about the ‘loss of youth’ Fallon discusses at length on other albums and more about the writer’s reflections as an adult, seeing his past and future in a new light. ‘Keepsake’ discusses Fallon’s troubled family history while ‘Too Much Blood’ and title track, ‘Handwritten’ are testimony to the more personal content of the songs on the album. If the music hasn’t changed significantly the lyrical content and song writing has matured to such a degree that each song has its own distinct voice and story despite a Status Quo like repetition of chords. As Nick Hornby writes in the enclosed booklet ‘The Gaslight Anthem sound fresh’ as they ‘carry on the tradition...in [their] own voice.’
First single ’45’, ‘Desire’ and ‘Howl’ are the typical fast paced rockers Gaslight fans have become accustomed to while ‘Biloxi Parish’, debuted at recent live performances, is arguably the best track on the album. ‘National Anthem’ is this album’s acoustic offering and easily sits with ‘Navesink Banks’ and ‘Blue Jeans And White T-Shirts’ as some of Fallon’s best writing to date. ‘Mae’ reveals Fallon’s romanticism with a soft, heartfelt chorus ‘You can lean into me if you ain’t been in love for a while’ while the song title could be a reference to classic film star Mae West, adding to the long list of Gaslight Anthem references to classic cinema.
‘Blue Dahlia’, included only on the deluxe version should have been on the album proper. Structurally and musically it’s a step forward for the band and pushes the limits of their established sound. To issue a ‘deluxe edition’ which includes two covers and one of the best tracks the band have written is not a very ‘Gaslight Anthem’ thing to do, but could be a result of their recent shift to a major label and is only a minor criticism of what is an excellent album.
From the first chord the listener knows exactly who they are listening to as the Gaslight Anthem have established their own niche within the punk/rock and roll genre. Although musically not a huge leap from the norm it is Fallon’s lyrical content and the band’s collective song writing that has matured with ‘Handwritten’ and the intimacy of the album alone makes it stand out as the band’s strongest album to date.
Fri August 24th 2012 - Richfield Avenue, Reading
Mon October 15th 2012 - O2 Academy Brixton, London
Wed October 17th 2012 - Brixton Academy, London
Thu October 18th 2012 - O2 Apollo, Manchester
Fri October 19th 2012 - O2 Academy Glasgow, Glasgow
Sat October 20th 2012 - O2 Academy Birmingham, Birmingham
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Critics will fall into the old trap of saying the band sound exactly the same as their previous two albums but there is a maturity and a professionalism about ‘Handwritten’ that has replaced the rawness of earlier records. Fallon’s writing topics are those of a man grown and no longer those of an embittered teenager fuelled by rage and a sense of injustice. The focus is less about the ‘loss of youth’ Fallon discusses at length on other albums and more about the writer’s reflections as an adult, seeing his past and future in a new light. ‘Keepsake’ discusses Fallon’s troubled family history while ‘Too Much Blood’ and title track, ‘Handwritten’ are testimony to the more personal content of the songs on the album. If the music hasn’t changed significantly the lyrical content and song writing has matured to such a degree that each song has its own distinct voice and story despite a Status Quo like repetition of chords. As Nick Hornby writes in the enclosed booklet ‘The Gaslight Anthem sound fresh’ as they ‘carry on the tradition...in [their] own voice.’
