Who knows what can happen when looking into a rock and roll crystal ball. Things may seem dim, things may be completely blurry, and other things are as clear as day. And at the end of 2009, it couldn’t have been clearer that The Gaslight Anthem was on fire. You can never tell with rock and roll though. One minute a band can be red hot and the next minute, that same band could be playing shows on side stages of small town festivals. That being said, if The Gaslight Anthem breaks through and becomes the band they are yearning to become, everyone will look back on that summer of ’09 as the year that made them. Between performances at Lollapalooza, Glastonbury, and even alongside Bruce Springsteen, it was apparent that the time was now for these four guys from Jersey. With 2009 being as hectic and busy as it was, obviously, it was thought the band would take some time when crafting their follow up record. Not the case. When the group announced that after only three months in the studio they were ready to release their newest stuff, do be honest, I was a little surprised. Did their label put a rush on it? Was the band rushing to maintain top of mind status? Both were questions that I asked myself upon hearing the news and more importantly, when first popping the record into the CD player. Could these guys really put out a worthwhile album with only two months in the studio, after a year on the road? After listening, the answer to that question is a resounding yes.On "American Slang," the band tweaks their musical style in ways that only a veteran rock group seemingly could. The groups breakout album, "The 59 Sound," was the heavy hitter. The fast guitar riffs, banging drums, and overall speedy pace created reckless sound from a reckless band on the verge of something big. "American Slang" is different. It’s a more mature album from a band that has matured.
Musically, the band still exudes its punkness, just in a different manner. Instead of the fast guitar riffs, the album contains more strategic guitar notes, in a Social Distortion-esque way. Songs like Stay Lucky, Bring It On, and The Queen Of Lower Chelsea highlight this new use of the guitar and though the songs themselves aren’t as fast, they are better than just good. The drumming is toned down as well. Instead of it being the driving force and initiator like it was on previous records, on "American Slang," the drums play almost entirely to compliment what is going on with the guitar.
Lyrically, as expected, lead singer Brian Fallon paints pictures and stories with his words as he and his characters looks to the past as well as to the future. Songs like Old Haunts and We Did It When We Were Young are obvious moments where Fallon checks in on the past. Partner those up with a song like American Slang, a tune about learning from past choices, and Fallon is able to collectively and accurately portray situations where his characters and himself are learning lessons without and output of immediate knowledge and information. “You told me fortunes, in American Slang.”
The best song off the record is an upbeat, punky-blues song, The Diamond Church Street Choir. It has some finger snapping, note to note guitar playing, and overall great beat that is coupled with intuitive lyrics. The most noticeable aspect of the track, however, is Fallon’s vocals. He hits a new range on this song that is unseen on any of the band’s previous records.
On "American Slang," it’s almost as if the band literally and figuratively said, we don’t need to be all loud, all the time. They were already noticed. They already were making noise in the room. As Fallon alluded to many times, instead of making another "'59 Sound," they needed to hone in on what their essence was as a band and prove they could stay in the room. Prove they could stay in the rock and roll limelight and prosper. The group walked out on a limb with "American Slang" and they should be happy that they did. High risk equals high reward. I wouldn’t say that The Gaslight Anthem risked it all with "American Slang," but they certainly risked a lot. However, the reward they received was priceless. They now are major players in the rock and roll game. The band is young, excited, enthusiastic, and have a lot left to say. Let’s hear it fellas, all of it.
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