Gaslight Anthem- American Slang LP

With 'American Slang', The Gaslight Anthem makes an extraordinary leap forward towards that very goal. The New Jersey-based band's third long player reveals a remarkably powerful rock 'n' roll outfit honed by two years of nearly non-stop touring. Singer/guitarist Fallon's passionate lyrical approach has grown more personal and introspective, his raw throated vocals stronger and more resonant against the band's pulse-pounding dynamic force. Songs like 'Bring It On', 'Orphans' and the rousing title track bristle and burn with the spirit of soul, the energy of punk, and the artistic ambition of any hall of famer you'd care to name. 'American Slang' is the battle cry of a great band finding it's own voice and using it to shout to the rooftops and beyond. The band began getting together for writing sessions at their longtime friend Kyle Roggendorf's basement in Parlin, NJ.

• 1 American Slang
• 2 Stay Lucky
• 3 Bring It on
• 4 The Diamond Church Street Choir
• 5 The Queen of Lower Chelsea
• 6 Orphans
• 7 Boxer
• 8 Old Haunts
• 9 The Spirit of Jazz
• 10 We Did It When We Were Young

With their hearts on their sleeves and their feet planted firmly in the garden state, The Gaslight Anthems third album, American Slang, plays out like an offering to Springsteen, the patron saint of heartland rock. The feeling on this album is considerably more relaxed. All of the punk rock tension and urgency have been replaced by a more patient and heartfelt mood. This change of pace really gives the listener the ability to sit back and take in the scenery on their musical Rust Belt road trip, making for a more moody, understated experience. There are still a few uptempo rockers on the album, with Stay Lucky and The Spirit of Jazz bringing back some of the speed that old fans might be used to. The rest of the album works in a more mid-tempo space, giving singer Brian Fallon's weathered voice room to work, allowing him to really dig in and make the best use of the laid-back melody on Bring it On and the spaciousness of We Did it When We Were Young. The prevailing feeling throughout this album is that American Slang represents a more mature sound from The Gaslight Anthem, showing us a band that has grown up enough to start attempting to fill the shoes of their influences.

-Gregory Heaney, AllMusic.com