Rock ‘n’ roll is a beautiful form of expression but, sadly, a dying art. However, there a few bands still trying to keep the torch burning from the glory days when Bruce Springsteen would ignite Asbury Park into a frenzy.
Brian Fallon and his band the Gaslight Anthem would be one of the primary remainders of what’s left of the genre — some critics have gone as far to say that they are the very last pure rock ‘n’ roll band. I disagree, but nevertheless.
When Fallon announced he was going to team up with his guitar tech Ian Perkins and create the band The Horrible Crowes, as well as their debut full-length album “Elsie,” there was a feeling of unease among fans and critics alike. Fallon had carved out a nearly perfect niche with his rock band, creating anthemlike, catchy songs that harkened comparisons to Joe Strummer and the Boss himself.
It was certainly a risky move to deviate so far from what had made Gaslight Anthem so great, but with the Sept. 6 release of “Elise,” Fallon has created an album that is rock ‘n’ roll with the lights dimmed. It goes beyond what Gaslight Anthem could offer, exposing the darker side of Fallon’s songwriting.
“Elsie” opens with a slow short song called “Last Rites,” where Fallon’s smooth vocals glide along gentle piano notes. Within 30 seconds of playing, “Elsie” sets the tone as a melancholy-ridden album, with Fallon’s vocals dripping with pain. After “Last Rites” comes possibly the best song on the album, ”Sugar,” complete with an impressive bass line giving it urgency in an otherwise very methodical album.
While most of the album ranges on the somber side, the song “Crush” is a light-hearted love poem that breaks up the track list nicely and offers a change of pace. The rest of the album demonstrates Fallon’s ability to write songs with a tangible ache to them, culminating with the two darkest songs on the album “Blood Loss” and “I Believe Jesus Brought Us Together.” Both bring the album to a somber end with Fallon’s haunting voice crooning as he wearily sings of a broken love.
“Elsie” proves many things, but above all, it solidifies that Fallon is no longer a promising talent paying homage to Springsteen but a musical force to be reckoned with.
Nearly all of the album exudes Fallon’s style, from the looping “ohs” on “Beyond the Hurricane” to the channeling of his major Tom Waits influence on “Mary Ann,” where he displays the ability to sing with a raw grit that was previously left hidden.
The instrumental backing is superb, and an array of sounds is used (the organ being the most unique, adding great texture to many of the songs), but the most impressive use of an instrument would be that of Fallon’s voice. He manages to alternate from deeply smooth blues to jagged and gruff, making it sound almost as if a different person were singing.
Fans of Gaslight Anthem should love this album, because it showcases the band’s charismatic lead singer well. But the album should have a much broader appeal with the dexterity of the lyrics and smooth instrumental backing from Perkins and a collection of other artists, including Gaslight Anthem bandmates.
Rock ‘n’ roll may be dying, but Fallon is certainly doing his best to resuscitate it with a sound that is purely his own.
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