I’ll be honest, TheGaslight Anthem‘s last record, American Slang, didn’t do a whole lot for me. After being knocked out by their preceding album, 2008′s The ’59 Sound (the title track and “Here’s Looking At You, Kid” being two of my favorites), Slang just seemed to lack that spark, that connection and excitement I felt with ’59.
With their brand new single, “45″, Brian Fallon and the boys are clearly back in that hard-driving ’59 frame of mind.
The single comes from Handwritten, TGA‘s new album due out on June 24th. The album is produced by Brendan O’Brien, who we Springsteen fans are well aware of (he produced The Rising, Magic, and Working On A Dream), but who has also produced the likes of Pearl Jam, Incubus, Mastodon, and Trey Anastasio (and a whole lot more).
It should be an entertaining listen, and I look forward to checking it out – and of course I hope TGA are returning to my neck of the woods on tour. The albums are one thing, but their live shows take their songs up in the stratosphere.
Friday Five : \’frī-(,)dā,-dē ‘fīv\ : On the sixth day of every week, I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes, then share the first five tracks and thought for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, occasionally we’ll have a guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.
“And now the song so happy, Todd had to sing it.” Who can resist a sappy love-lorn tune in 3/8 time?
“Both Sides of the Story” by Phil Collins (from …Hits, 1998)
This tune always seemed a bit like Phil trying really hard to sing a Peter Gabriel track. I realize the irony in that statement, but listen to “Biko,” and “Come Talk to Me,” and come back to this track and tell me that you don’t hear it. Go ahead, I’ll wait here.
“The ’59 Sound” by The Gaslight Anthem (from The ’59 Sound, 2008)
I haven’t listened to this record in over a year, I’ll have to cue it up over the weekend. I think I burned myself out on it, and didn’t care at all for the follow up; causing me to unintentionally shun the band for a bit.
“If I Can’t Change Your Mind” by Sugar (from Besides, 1995)
From the live portion of the set, I was always amazed at how fast these tunes were played live.
Why don’t my family and I live in Austin, Texas? Sitting here back home in Arizona just off the plane, I ponder that question. Austin: a city that live and breathes music. A city teeming with life and heart and soul and character. Just so different than Phoenix and its outskirts, where I’ve lived for the last 18 years. Yeah, I’ll settle back into the rut and routine of everyday life, the job that supports my family (thank God for it), and hit some shows around town. But there’s always Austin – like a soul magnet to my music loving core – calling me.
Can you tell I’m dealing with some post-ACL blues? The weekend was just great. Perfect weather, and some amazing live music experiences. Some highlights…
Favorites:
Phish Penguin
Phish – The boys from Vermont did not disappoint, firing up the Budweiser stage Friday night with an old school set featuring a handful of my favorites: “”Possum”, “Also Sprach Zarathustra” (theme from 2001), and of course “You Enjoy Myself”. It was my 16th time seeing Phish, going back to 1990, and probably at least the 10th or 11th “YEM” I’ve seen. I hadn’t seen them since the Pima County Fairgrounds outside Tucson in November 1999, so I was definitely overdue. The two hour festival set was shorter than the normal show experience, but it worked just fine for me – getting to see Trey, Jon, Page and Mike in the Austin City Limits Festival setting was something special.
Set List: Down with Disease > Cities > Possum, Wolfman’s Brother, Chalk Dust Torture, Rock and Roll > Also Sprach Zarathustra > Backwards Down the Number Line > Harry Hood -> Light > Suzy Greenberg > You Enjoy Myself / Encore: Cavern > First Tube
The Eagles open with "Seven Bridges Road"
The Eagles – Leading up to the festival – and even throughout the weekend – I can’t say I was overly excited about the final Sunday headliner, the Eagles, probably due to all the other acts that held my attention (e.g. Phish and Band of Horses). But after staking out a sweet spot for Band of Horses – probably 30 yards from the stage – and deciding to stay put another hour for the Eagles set, I was quickly reminded when they hit the stage. Thing is, I’ve always enjoyed the music of the Eagles. I couldn’t recite much from their back catalog, but their two greatest hits albums have been staples during my life. Like a lot of people, I’ve always loved songs like “Peaceful Easy Feeling”, “Lying Eyes”, and of course “Desperado”. And during their 2 hour set, the Eagles gave the people exactly what they wanted – trotting out hit after hit after hit. A nostalgia trip? Of course it was. And I loved every minute of it. And so did the tens of thousands beside and behind me.
Set List: 7 Bridges Road, How Long, Take It To the Limit, Hotel California, Peaceful Easy Feeling, I Can’t Tell You Why, Witchy Woman, Lying Eyes, Long Road Out of Eden, Walk Away, Boys of Summer, In the City, The Long Run, Life’s Been Good, Dirty Laundry, Funk #49, Heartache Tonight, Life in the Fast Lane / Encore:
Take It Easy, Desperado
Monsters of Folk
Monsters of Folk – This two hour set on the smaller and more intimate Austin Ventures stage exceeded my expectations. For those unaware, Monsters of Folk are a ‘super-group’ made up of Conor Oberst (solo, Bright Eyes), Jim James (My Morning Jacket), and M. Ward (solo, She & Him). I’m fans of all three entities, and I was expecting good things, but wow – what a set! They played most of the songs from their self-titled album, including “Dear God”, “Baby Boomer” and “Say Please”. But even more magic spun out of the artists’ own catalogs. Bright Eyes’ “Soul Singer in a Session Band” (I love Oberst’s passion), M. Ward’s “Vincent O’Brien” (love his smoky voice), and my highlight of the night: My Morning Jacket’s “Smokin from Shootin”, which gave me goosebumps. Jim and Conor traded verses, and the song just exploded in emotion and intensity – fire and brimstone, pure unfiltered rock n’ roll. If I had to pick one song that made the weekend, “Smokin From Shootin” was the one.
M. Ward is bad ass
Set List: Say Please, The Right Place, Soul Singer In A Session Band (Bright Eyes), Slow Down Jo, Man Named Truth, Golden (MMJ), Vincent O’Brien (M. Ward), Ahead of the Curve, At Dawn (MMJ), Baby Boomer, Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.), To Save Me, Temazcal, The Sandman, The Brakeman and Me, Map of the World, Smokin from Shootin (MMJ), Hit the Switch (Bright Eyes), Losin’ Yo Head, At the Bottom of Everythng (Bright Eyes), Whole Lotta Losin’, Another Travelin’ Song (Bright Eyes), His Master’s Voice
Ben Bridwell unleashes in the hot sun
Band of Horses – This was my second Band of Horses show. The first time was two years ago, also at ACL, but on a smaller stage across the field. This time around, through hard work and a successful third album, Infinite Arms, the boys upgraded to the Budweiser stage, playing right before the Eagles. After walking out to Joe Walsh’s “Rocky Mountain Way”, they launched into “Cigarettes Wedding Bands” and never looked back. It was a 6-7pm set, and the band was staring straight into the late afternoon sun, a fact that Ben Bridwell mentioned a time or two – “Don’t let the sun go down on me guys!” The set drew pretty evenly from all three Horses albums – among them “Part One”, “Great Salt Lake”, “The Funeral”, “No One’s Gonna Love You”, “Ode to LRC”, “Laredo”, and a wall of sound version of “NW Apt.”. They also let loose a surprise finale with a cover of Cee-Lo’s “Georgia” (with a horn section including Trombone Shorty).
Horses
Set List: Cigarettes, Factory, No One’s Gonna Love You, Part One, The General Specific, Laredo, Great Salt Lake, Is There a Ghost?, Island on the Coast, NW Apt., Compliments, Ode to LRC, The Funeral, Georgia (Cee-Lo cover w/ horn section incl Trombone Shorty)
Pleasant Surprises:
Milwaukee's Kings Go Forth
Kings Go Forth (http://www.kingsgoforth.com) - Ahhh, it felt good to take in a good time band with a classic soul feel – think Earth Wind & Fire fronted by the younger brother of Rick James. His name is Black Wolf, and this cat is a character. A nine piece band and another vocalist back him up, offering up great harmonies, and great soul & funk rhythms. And they’re from Milwaukee, Wisconsin of all places! For all my friends in Wisconsin (and elsewhere), keep an eye out for these guys.
Mayer Hawthorne & the County (http://www.myspace.com/mayerhawthorne) - More soul… L.A.’s Mayer Hawthorne channels Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, and Philly soul groups like the Stylistics. His short but sweet set featured a cool version of the Doobie Brothers’ “What a Fool Believes”. Mayer does a helluva Michael McDonald too.
Frank Turner
Frank Turner – (http://www.frank-turner.com) – I completely stumbled on to Frank’s set, and was immediately drawn into the British working-class folk/punk feel of his sound. When I heard him intro a song with a shout out to Elvis Presley and Bruce Springsteen, I knew I’d come to the right place. His good nature and UK charm endeared him to the crowd, and before long, we were singing along to songs like “The Road” and “Long Live The Queen”. I’m a new fan. For those in the U.S., Frank will be opening a number of dates for Social Distortion in November.
Honorable Mention:
The Gaslight Anthem
The Gaslight Anthem – Although their latest record, American Slang, didn’t knock my socks off, the same can’t be said about Gaslight’s explosive live show. Frontman Brian Fallon channels Strummer and Springsteen, energizing any crowd he encounters. Sunday’s ACL set was no exception. Gaslight rocked the house – my favorite being the old standby “The ’59 Sound”.
Dawes' Taylor Goldsmith on vox and guitar
Dawes – L.A.’s Dawes stopped through my town earlier this summer, opening for Edward Sharpe, and I sure wasn’t going to miss their ACL set. The only unfortunate part was the abbreviated 40 minute time slot they were afforded. But they soaked everything out of it, with great tunes like “Peace in the Valley”, “Fire Away”, and of course, “When My Time Comes”. Super talented young band – check them out when you can.
Letdown:
M.I.A. – Apparently, going up against Muse as Saturday’s co-headliner didn’t spark any competitive or creative fires in M.I.A. She had a full hour to impress the large crowd that assembled for her set on the AMD Stage. Two giant video monitors on each side of the stage were a lifeblood for the throngs of fans who were further back from the stage – me included. Every artist that I’m aware of let the camera operators do their thing so the large crowd could see from afar. But not M.I.A. Not only did her video effects take over the giant screen behind her, but the two side screens as well. The result was a shortened 47 minute set of pre-recorded beats and the inaudible meanderings of M.I.A. She may think she’s a groundbreaking, unconventional artist. On record, she well may be. But as a live performer, at least in this incarnation, it was frustrating to watch. A missed opportunity on her part, but I don’t think she gives a shit. Should’ve caught Muse.
————-
Austin Town, I already miss you, and with some careful give & take negotiation with the wife, I’ll be seeing you next year too. Who knows, maybe the Ickmusic family will one day find its way over to you permanently.
Over the last couple of days, not only did Jersey’s Gaslight Anthem join Facebook, but they also released their first single (and title track) from their forthcoming album American Slang. Stoked! This means not only will we all be rocking out to a new Gaslight album in a few short months (June 15th), but we’ll also have the chance to catch them live – which is an experience all its own. Their studio albums are impressive, but live is where their music pulses and breathes. Can’t wait.
Here’s the track list:
01. American Slang
02. Stay Lucky
03. Bring It On
04. The Diamond Church Street Choir
05. The Queen of Lower Chelsea
06. Orphans
07. Boxer
08. Old Haunts
09. The Spirit Of Jazz
10. We Did It When We Were Young
Friday Five : \ˈfrī-(ˌ)dā,-dē ˈfīv\ : On the sixth day of every week I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five and drop a little knowledge and insight for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, sometimes there isn’t. Sometimes we have guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.
Editors Note: For the first Friday Five of 2010, I’m taking a look back at five of my favorite records from the last decade. Placed in no particular order, these are the records that I found myself coming back to time and again. Happy New Year, to all of you. – Michael
Amy Winehouse – “Tears Dry on Their Own” (from Back to Black, 2006)
Is there an artist that better embodies “The Noughties” than Amy Winehouse? The slight, awkward girl from Southgate, England with the voice that could topple buildings; yet it was her personal battles with drugs that the media focused on. An amalgam of classic soul, vocal jazz and ska, Back to Black earned Winehouse six Grammy nominations and five awards, and was the best selling record in 2007. The track “Tears Dry on Their Own,” for me, stands out above the rest; capturing the best of Winehouse’s powerful vocals.
The Gaslight Anthem – “Great Expectations” (from The ’59 Sound, 2008)
You can take the band out of New Jersey, but you cannot take the New Jersey out of the band. The Gaslight Anthem provided the end of the decade with a much-needed shot of straightforward rock & roll. The songs on The ’59 Sound are rife with stories of life in small town America; quoting everyone from Bon Jovi, Counting Crows and even The Boss himself, all while sounding fresh and vital. The record kicks off with the barnburner “Great Expectations,” which contains as many literary movements as you would expect from a song titled after the Charles Dickens classic.
The self-described “only successful Arab/Jewish partnership since the dawn of human culture,” Chromeo is holding the torch for ’80s inspired electrofunk. Their album, Fancy Footwork, is one of the best dance records of the last decade. They also turned in one of the most memorable appearances on Daryl Hall’s web series, Live from Daryl’s House. Selecting a single track from the record proved nearly impossible, so I put my trust in the shuffle button, which served up the new jack swing of “Bonafied Lovin’ (Tough Guys).”
There is a certain understated majesty to the opening of the aptly titled “The First Song,” the lead track on Band of Horses 2006 debut Everything All the Time. Indie rock with a decidedly southern bend, the band — led by Ben Bridwell — caught flack for allowing their anthemic, “The Funeral,” to be used in marketing campaigns for Ford as well as in slew of movies and television programs.
The last decade has been an uneven one for Prince. As a performer, he toured the world twice over, commanded a Las Vegas residency, 21 nights at London’s O2 stadium, and perhaps one of the most memorable Super Bowl halftime performances; as a recording artist, he was hit or miss. However, the one exception was the incredibly funky Musicology, which rocketed Prince back into the spotlight. From funk to soul, his purple badness proved that he still had the juice to create a commercially viable, yet funky as hell record.
So tell me, what is soothing your aching head today?
Friday Five : \ˈfrī-(ˌ)dā,-dē ˈfīv\ : On the sixth day of every week I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five and drop a little knowledge and insight for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, sometimes there isn’t. Sometimes we have guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.
The Five:
Nirvana – “Come as You Are” (from Nevermind, 1991)
If I’m being completely honest this is probably the first time I’ve listened to anything from the seminal grunge record in probably the last couple of years.
The Gaslight Anthem – “Casanova, Baby!” (from The ’59 Sound, 2008)
The ’59 Sound is one of those records that gets under your skin and just hangs with you. Since discovering the band I’ve found myself coming back to the record time and again for a blast of tried and true rock n’ roll.
P.M. Dawn – “I’d Die Without You” (mp3) (from The Bliss Album…?, 1993)
Boys and girls, during the summer of ’93 this track was my ‘jam’.
As much as I like this song I’ve come to realize that in the context of the rest of the band’s discography that this tune stands out as possibly the worst. With its Kenny G inspired sax breaks (lest we not forget that Mr. Gorelick’s Breathless was one of the biggest records of 1992) and overall adult contemporary leanings – I swear, it would not surprise me at all if David Foster had a hand in its creation – it could easily represent the group’s weakest moments.
For the second time in just 6 months, the Phoenix area was treated last night to the bare-bones rapid-fire majesty that is the Gaslight Anthem. The guys have been touring their asses off in 2009, with two swings around the US, and a successful European festival season highlighted by a couple of guest appearances by Bruce Springsteen on “The ’59 Sound” (at Glastonbury and Hard Rock Calling). Their work ethic is paying off, it seems. The buzz continues to build, and I felt a noticeable difference in the vibe between last night’s show at Scottsdale’s Martini Ranch, and April’s show at Tempe’s Clubhouse. The atmosphere felt more electric last night – the crowd was alive, vibrant, singing along, pumping their fists; and the venue is more colorful and inviting than the dungeon-like Clubhouse. It was my first show there, and any reluctance I had about venturing into the belly of the beast that is Scottsdale was quickly put to rest.
My brother and I (6’3″ and 6’4″) respectively, got a good position stage right – much to the disappointment of those behind us. Sorry folks, we staked our claim. Move along, nothing to see here.
The set was standard fare for the Gaslight Anthem. That’s no knock on them – it’s just that with two full albums and an EP to draw from – you have a good idea which songs are coming. But there’s nothing standard about their performance. The charisma and charm of front man Brian Fallon leads the charge…
They played all but one song off of their 2008 breakthrough The ’59 Sound (no “Meet Me By The River’s Edge” their most direct tribute to the Boss), and they drew a handful from their debut Sink or Swim, and their EP Senor and the Queen. I’m most familiar with The ’59 Sound, and what was astounding to me was how familiar the crowd was with their older material. I love the fact that there’s a fan base like this locally – lingering under the radar – and emerging for great live experiences like this.
Sound-wise, my only gripe is that Fallon’s mic could have been louder and more crisp – the vocals weren’t too clear at times. Then again, we were in front of the bass amp, so Alex Levine’s bass lines were washing over us pretty intensely.
The highlights for me came in the form of “The ’59 Sound”, which really turned me on to the band when they performed it on Letterman early this year; the “Stand By Me” intro into “I’da Called You Woody, Joe”, which is Fallon’s ode to Joe Strummer and the Clash; I love the driving force of “The Patient Ferris Wheel”; and one of Gaslight’s few ballads, “Here’s Lookin’ At You, Kid”. I know it’s hard to pull off live, but I wish Fallon would sing it in the lower register like he does on the album – it’s such a bittersweet tune.
Gaslight’s set clocked in just short of 90 minutes, and as they wrapped it up with “We’re Getting A Divorce, You Keep The Dinner” , the final chant resonated with me: “It’s all right, man / I’m only bleeding, man. / Stay hungry, stay free, And do the best you can.” It sums up what I love about the band, and the artists they draw inspiration from – Strummer & Springsteen in particular – that in this imperfect and often unjust world in which we live, the important thing is not to let it get you down. Stay positive, care for those around you, and “stay hungry, stay free, and do the best you can.”
The Gaslight Anthem continue their hectic touring schedule. If you’re in North America, odds are they’ll be in your neighborhood by the end of the year. Check out the tour dates here. Check out a great band on an upward trajectory. There are great things to come from these guys.
Quick Notes:
It was great meeting two friends from my Twitter existence: Drew (@azecho) and Dave (@dfactor). I met Drew when a 300 lb drunk was shoving himself through the crowd, and pushed Drew right into me. That guy cannot be feeling great today.
I would have posted some pics, but they didn’t turn out post-worthy at all. The only decent one was of the hot Gaslight roadie.
I didn’t mention the opening acts, Gaslight’s tour mates the Loved Ones and Death by Murder. It was my first exposure to either band. I’d have gone more into their sets, but I’m not familiar at all with them, so I’ll spare you. Enjoyable stuff, though.
Set List – 9/15/2009
Martini Ranch
Scottsdale, AZ
High Lonesome
Casanova, Baby!
Old White Lincoln
Even Cowgirls Get The Blues
The ’59 Sound
We Came To Dance
Film Noir
Miles Davis & The Cool
The Patient Ferris Wheel
Stand by Me intro >
I’da Called You Woody, Joe
Angry Johnny And The Radio >
If I Had a Boat [Lyle Lovett]
Great Expectations
Here’s Lookin’ At You, Kid
The Backseat
Encore
Blue Jeans and White T-Shirts
Wherefore Are Thou, Elvis?
Senor and the Queen
We’re Getting A Divorce, You Keep The Dinner
The Gaslight Anthem- September 15th – Martini Ranch, Scottsdale | I’m not crazy about the venue – right in the heart of Old Town Snottsdale – but for Brian Fallon and the boys of Gaslight Anthem, I will endure the surrounding douchery. They’re fresh off a summer festival season highlighted by a couple of guest appearances by fellow Jersey boy Bruce Springsteen, and hallelujah, they’re back in Arizona for their second appearance in 6 months. Bless you boys.
Citizen Cope – September 25th – Marquee Theater, Tempe | About as laid back of a stage presence as you’ll find, Citizen Cope brings the cool with a really unique mix of earthy soul & roots music. I really enjoyed my first Cope show in the same venue a year and a half ago. Part of what made it great was the presence of sexy soul songstress Alice Smith. I think she’s still tagging along with Cope – here’s hoping she’s part of it again.
Friday Five : \ˈfrī-(ˌ)dā,-dē ˈfīv\ : On the sixth day of every week I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five and drop a little knowledge and insight for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, sometimes there isn’t. Sometimes we have guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.
The Five:
Editor’s Note: After a 4 day work week that felt more like 7 it’s time to unwind, but before I start my holiday weekend I’ve got a quick shuffle to share. Have a safe and great Independence Day weekend.
Fist clenching, goosebump inducing stuff!! The Boss joined the Gaslight Anthem onstage at Glastonbury. This 2 minute clip is enough to get me revved up! Gahhhhrrrr!!!
For the second time in just 6 months, the Phoenix area was treated last night to the bare-bones rapid-fire majesty that is the Gaslight Anthem. The guys have been touring their asses off in 2009, with two swings around the US, and a successful European festival season 
(no “Meet Me By The River’s Edge” their most direct tribute to the Boss), and they drew a handful from their debut 
, and their EP 
. I’m most familiar with The ’59 Sound, and what was astounding to me was how familiar the crowd was with their older material. I love the fact that there’s a fan base like this locally – lingering under the radar – and emerging for great live experiences like this.
